Opposites attract
by baby melancholie
Summary: Natasha Romanoff doesn't do friends, or so everyone thinks. Think again - Sarah is Natasha's Person. Two woman, polar opposites but always at each other sides. Canon until Civil War and then veering off into AU. Warning:there will mentions of violence and lots of avenger business. Otherwise lots of fluff and a strong female friendship. Tell your peeps your love them!
1. Chapter 1

"Natasha…Nat?!" Sarah opened the door of her house.  
"What are you doing here?"

"I missed you too, Enders. Do you mind letting me in. I don't think Marie will appreciate it, when I bleed all over your front door." Natasha Romanoff removed her hand of her left shoulder and showed her bloody fingers.

"Oh gosh, come in." Sarah ushered the avenger inside her house, "Upstairs with you, in the bathroom."

Natasha slowly made her way upstairs, holding onto the rail, she needed to blink twice to keep her vision from getting blurry. Oh, man that fucking hurts! With a loud thud, she sat on the toilet. Sarah appeared in the doorway medical supplies in one hand and a bottle of Kristal liquid in the other. The young woman sat both on the sink before kneeling in front of Natasha.

"Can you get out of that shirt or do you need help?"

"I should be fine." Natasha winced as she slowly moved her way out of her shirt.

"Ouch, that looks..." Sarah crinkled her brow, before they disappeared in her hair, "When did you got shot?!"

"Couple of weeks ago." Natasha shrugged, "Shortly before the whole thing in DC."

"I hope you haven't pulled your stitches, Nat. I don't know if I'm able to fix that."

"You'll be fine. Just clean me up and stick a plaster on it and I'll be on my way." Natasha winced again as Sarah started to clean up her shoulder.

"The hell you are, you stay a couple of days..."

"I can't, I don't know if they followed me here."

"As if that ever mattered. You look like you need to sleep in a proper bed for a while and get some food into you." Sarah said forcefully. Natasha looked horrible, not only the blood covered shoulder but also the bags underneath her eyes and badly done hair dye job, told the story of days on the run instead of a normal mission.

"Here drink this." She gave Natasha the bottle, "it's gonna sting."

"Fuck me!", Natasha exclaimed, as Sarah applied pressure to the graze wound and taped it up. "You are lucky, your old stitches didn't burst and you don't need new ones. Just a flesh wound that bleeds like no tomorrow." Natasha gulped from the bottle again: "Decent Vodka you got there."

"It's Marie's."

"Ok, all done. Now, I need you to follow my finger."

Natasha swatted at her friends finger, "What do you think you are doing, Florence?!"

"Funny, real funny, Romanoff. However, do not think I saw how you swayed up the stairs. I just want to make sure you don't have a concussion that's all." Natasha grumbled but followed the woman's finger and a couple of other exercises, before Sarah declared her all clear on the concussion front.

"Bed or Food?" She asked while getting up from her kneeling position.  
"Shower!" Nat answered.

"Not possible until tomorrow when I change your bandages, you know that." Sarah shook her head "and then I'm gonna fix your bad dye job." Natasha nodded, it felt good to be here, have someone to make the decision for her. Almost has well as when she is at Clint's and Laura's, but there was no way she would make it back into the states now.

She did not realise it but she closed her eyes while Sarah was cleaning up her utensils. She startled when something shook her and she almost hit her friend.

„I think its bed rather than food for you." Sarah smiled at her and helped her off the toilet.

"The guest room is ready for you." Slowly they made their way across the hall into the small guest room, the bed was already turned down and the curtains drawn to not let any light in. Carefully Natasha manoeuvred herself into the PJ's that Sarah had laid out. For how long had she been out?

"Try to rest at least for a little bit, ok?" Natasha nodded, already getting droopy again. The mattress was soft and she could smell the detergent of the clean bed sheets. Slowly she breathed in and out, and counted in her head, she threw her enemies for a little after they shot her, making them think she headed back to the states instead of staying put in London. That should buy her at least 12 hours if not a day of peace to regroup and put her next step into action. Who would have thought blowing all her covers would get her chased all across the world. Some of the old KGB grudges really run fucking deep. She heard Sarah potter around the bathroom and then walk downstairs to the ground floor.

Natasha startled awake...where was she? Her breath hitched...then she recognised the bed. London...Sarah's ...safe...safe for now.

Slowly she sat up and was glad that her vision was clear and she felt no longer shaky. It was dark outside, but her clothes were neatly folded on the armchair in the corner. Natasha turned on the small lamp on the bedside table and opened the door slightly.

* * *

"It's all over the news, Sarah. How can you not have told me before?"

"What, that my friend Natalie isn't Natalie but the Black Widow? That wasn't my secret to tell and it's much more dangerous to know than not to know."

"Well, I would have liked to know who is sleeping under our roof and with whom I have been drinking with over the last couple of years."

Natasha stepped into the living room "I think I should go...I shouldn't have come here...ever."

"Yeah... Marie nodded, that would be best." Sarah set her glass of wine down with a thud.

"Nonsense. You" she pointed at Natasha "sit down and I reheat some dinner for you and you" she moved her finger onto Marie "pour us another glass of wine."

Sarah couldn't tell whose snort was louder Natasha's or Marie's

"Yes, mum."

Marie got Natasha another glass out of the cabinet and poured before refilling Sarah's and herself another ginger ale.

She sat down opposite the tired spy and sighed: "I just worry about her. Ever since the incident she isn't careful anymore... she draw little circles on the turquoise wood dining room table and looked at Natasha through her dark fringe, worry etched on her face.

"I get that, Marie. Believe me I do, but I was also the person that got her out of there if you remember and I tried not coming here, but..."

"But I would kick your ass if you would do that and I'll kick yours if you don't stop this nonsense." Sarah looked at them both pointedly and put a plate of fried rice with shrimps in front of the spy.

"Eat!" Natasha picked up her fork, suddenly feeling ravenous. Sarah sat down but not before pressing a kiss onto Marie's head.

"I get that you are worried." She looked at her intently "but Natasha being here isn't going to put as anymore in danger than being a tourist trying to cross Oxford Circus."

They spent the evening the way they spend many evenings in that house, around the bright wooden dining table drinking wine and chatting. It was the second wince and Natasha rolled her shoulder to reduce the pain.

Marie stood and motioned to Natasha "I have some new pain meds from work...a bit stronger than what Sarah will have been giving you."

Natasha nodded appreciative.

The two women made their way up the stairs "I'm sorry." Marie went into her room and gestured Natasha to follow her.

"It's fine." Nat leaned against the door frame, she understood the French doctor, she wasn't save to be around at the moment, not until this whole thing had died down and Sarah was just too young to get involved with all of this, she was only 25.

"No it's not, I mean I guess you know what you do and if Sarah trusts you then so should I. But the last time I did that she got kidnapped and her fucking ex-boyfriend cheated her not only out of 25k but also almost out of her life." Marie turned around and handed Natasha some painkillers.

"Thanks. And believe me I would have killed the bastard and got her money back if she would have told me his name and allowed me to do it."

"Take them with lots of water. Yeah, I guess I understand now why she wouldn't tell you." Marie chuckled.

"It's a pity; he deserves to rot in hell for what he did."

"Right with you on that one." Marie nodded before grabbing her bag and leading Natasha back downstairs to Sarah.

"I'm heading to the hospital now. I'll be on shift for the next 12 hours."

"Take care." Sarah pressed a kiss to Marie's cheek.

"Bye!" the French doctor shouted from the hallway before the door closed with a thud.

The two women stayed up a bit longer, before Sarah helped Nat to get into the shower and then wrapping her wound again. "Sleep tight, Nat."

"You too."

Lying in Sarah's guestroom Natasha, turned on her phone, it had been off for the last few days now. A couple of text messages from Clint and Laura including a video from Lila and Cooper that made her smile. She quickly texted back that she was safe and would be home soon to see them all. The avenger's group chat was full with messages from Tony and Bruce, and a couple from Steve confirming that he was still in Europe but returning to the US. An email from Pepper telling her that her apartment at the Avenger Tower was waiting for her and to please return Tony's phone call.

Nevertheless, it didn't matter how many days she scrolled back on her texts or emails, there was none from Steve except the one on the group chat. She would have thought he contact her, let her know how is search goes, checking in with her, but nothing. One day you are on the run together, rely on each other and the next, he ignores you and runs off with his new best friend.

She knows she shouldn't care, she never did, but Steve was different. She wanted that he cares about her and that scared her more than anything.

* * *

The next morning Sarah and Nat went to a little cafe for some breakfast, Sarah chatted away about her recent assignment and what she is going to do with her time back in London, but her friend didn't listen. Natasha's attention wandered between watching the door and checking her phone.

"Ok, I guess I am boring you." Sarah crossed her arms and looked at her friend with raised eyebrows.

"What - no - never!"

"Really? I just told you that during my next assignment in the Middle East, I was planning to marry a Sheikh, and not even that got a reaction out of you."  
"I'm sorry."

"It's ok. What's on your mind?" Sarah expected to hear about the people who shot her or the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D it was her home after all, but not the blurted out :

"Steve!"

that even startled Natasha herself.

"What about the Spangled Man with a Plan?" Natasha looked down and played with the food on her plate, why did she say anything. She could fool Sarah easily, why did she just blurb it out?

"Nat, come on."

"He hasn't called, three weeks and nothing. I mean doesn't he care." Natasha let her head fall into her hands.

"Oh look at that, the Black Widow has boy troubles." Sarah singsonged.

'Don't!" Nat groaned.

"Hey, I am just teasing. Have you called him or messaged him?"

Natasha shook her head "Shouldn't he have contacted me? After everything we went through together with S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Didn't you say that his best friend kinda came back from the dead?"

"And?"

"That he is currently searching for?"

"Yes."

"So don't you think you should call him and ask him how that's going?"

"I gave him the file I had."

"Nat!"

"What it took a lot of favours to get that and I don't feel that charitable to the man. He shot me twice."

"He his still Steve's friend though?" Natasha nodded and looked at her friend irritably, why did she care so much.

"And you care about Steve?"

"He is a friend." Natasha answered back.

"A friend that you love?" Sarah smirked into her Flat White.

"I don't love. I am the Black Widow remember."

"I am not asking about the Black Widow, I am asking about Natasha Romanoff." Another round of coffees was placed in front of them.

"Then Natasha Romanoff tells you that she doesn't love Captain America."

"Oh come of it. You don't love Captain America. You love Steve Rogers." Sarah looked Natasha right in the eye. 'Come on, Nat. Admit it...don't think I haven't noticed.'

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"No."  
"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"I have three older brothers, Natasha. I can do this all day."  
"Ugh..." Natasha let her head thud onto the table and Sarah stroked her hair.

Did she really love, Steve? She thought about him a lot. Trusted him with her life. Went on the run together. In order to save him, pushed all her life onto the Internet, blew all her covers and top it off indebted herself to some people to get him a head start on his quest to find the Winter Soldier. The way he lay on the shore of the Potomac, bloodied and beaten, brought her to her knees, literally. Her burst stitches didn't stop her from attempting CPR until Sam pushed her away and took over. For the first time since she can remember, she prayed, not for herself but for Steve, Steve who still goes to church every Sunday he could.

"Really, you really think I love Steve?"

"I think you have been compromised, lovely."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Sitting on her hotel bed, Sarah had her mobile phone in hand as she waited for the call to connect.  
"Hey!" she waved in the camera as Natasha appeared in the screen.

"Hold on, Sarah." Sarah could see how the phone was put down and she stared at the ceiling of what appeared to be a training room and then she was picked up again. Natasha was wearing a hoodie now and had her earphones in.

The spy smiled in the camera.

"Hi. How are you?"

"Good, good. Just in Switzerland on a conference on human trafficking rings.

"Wow - that sounds depressing."

"Tell me about it - I can't wait to get out of these stuffy meeting rooms and back into the field."  
"That's not what I meant." Natasha huffed and took a sip of her water bottle, she just finished her morning routine "I thought you are still benched?"

"The situation in Syria is heating up and we need people down there."

"They want you down there again?" Natasha couldn't believe it "What is your therapist saying?"

"Therapists, Natasha! There are more then one!" Sarah grouches.

Natasha chuckles at that. "What are the therapists saying?"

"Same as always. It might trigger something, it might not. But needs must and it's been over 3 years..." she trailed of slowly and the two women share a look that felt like a hug.

"Anyway." Sarah let out a big sigh "Anything new with you?"

"Nope." Natasha rolled her eyes at her friend, she knew what she wanted to know.

"Oh come on, Nat. Have you still not told him."

"No, and I won't."

"Why not? I think you would be great for each other."

"You get that from the huge amount you spend with him, namely zero?"

"I know you and for you to fall for someone, that person must be pretty damn special. So yes, I trust that your gut can pick the right guy."

"Because my gut was always so right with that."

"You never gave your gut a chance." Sarah pointed out lightly.

"You don't play fair." Natasha grumbled before getting up and making her way to the elevator. Her mobile still held up to continue their conversation. The elevator dinged and Natasha nodded to Bruce already inside.

"Have you seen much of him recently?" Sarah enquires while sipping on her drink.

"Can't talk right now." Natasha hushed with an apologetic smile to the doctor.

"Don't let me disturb you, Natasha." He said kindly.

"No it's fine. It's not important." Natasha shot a grin to her friend.

"Rude!" Could be heard from her headphones.

"I'll call you back." Natasha pushed the end call button.

"Sorry about that." She smiled at Bruce "How are you? I haven't seen you for a couple of days."

"Yeah." The doctor run a hand through his hair "Tony and I are running some experiments to find the sceptre and we thought we got close."

"But?"

"No chance to track it at the moment. I think this needs to be done the classic way."

"Are you calling my methods old fashioned, Bruce?" Natasha laughed. The two stepped out of the elevator and made their way to their respective apartments.

"I...I..."

"It's ok. Some of my methods might be old fashioned but there is a reason why they are called classics." Bruce laughed now as well

"It's been nice having you around, Natasha." He said out of the blue. Nat startled, she didn't expect that from him, especially not with the look in his eyes.

"I feel the same. Having a place to come home to, is a nice pace of change. Do you feel up to working on the lullaby today?" She asked, noticing his tired demeanour.

"This afternoon if that's ok? I like to get some rest before the other guy takes over."

"Sure. I'll see you later." Natasha turned around and made her way to her suite, but not before she turned around and threw a smile over her shoulder. Bruce blushed being caught staring and waved back at her.

In her room she turned the shower on and tried to ring Sarah again, but she didn't pick up. Calculating the time difference in her head, it must be bed time for her friend. She sighed and stepped into the shower, trying to get mentally ready for the afternoon.

Spending time with Bruce was the perfect antidote for Steve, Natasha decided.

Bruce was funny and smart, but understood that not everything was black and white. Making herself a cup of tea, she pondered her situation, surely she couldn't love Steve, if she didn't mind thinking about Bruce at the same time.

"Are you reading tea leaves now?" A voice appeared next to her ear, and before she could stop herself she pushed her knife right inbetween the fingers of a hand next to her.

Natasha turned her head "Dammit, Steve! Don't sneak up on me!"

Captain America looked between his hand and his friend, the knife still vibrating slightly from the force Natasha had used.

"Remind me to never wake you up either! Don't want to loose an eye on top of a finger."

"Dont be a baby." Natasha teased back "if i wanted you to loose a finger you would have."

"That's so comforting, Tasha."

Steve Rogers smiled at her, he didn't realise how much he missed her. He drew her into a quick hug, before hopping up on the counter next to the knife. Natasha took a steadying breath, she didn't except Steve to be home that soon, she thought she had a couple more days to clear her head and sort these pesky things called feelings. But here he sat in all his glory, feet dangling while taking her sip from her tea.

"Hey! That's my tea, Rogers." she scolded before liberating her cup, cradling it closely.

"And a delicious one. Is this a special kind?" Steve smacked his lips.

'What the heck was going on with him...did he hit his head ? Or is he flirting with me?' Natasha regraded Steve closely while holding her up her side of the conversation up, being a master spy had its advantages.

* * *

Over the next couple of days Natasha could not figure out Steve's behaviour, one moment he was so attentive, almost flirting and it was hard not reciprocate, but the next moment he was cold and distance. She tried to remove herself from the situation as much as she could, but Steve popped up everywhere, didn't he had leads to chase to find his friend.

"Miss Romanoff, Captain Rogers." The British accent of JARVIS sounded through the tower "Mr Stark would like to speak to you, when you have a moment. He is in his laboratory."

"Icecicle, Romanoff!" Tony greeted them both as they stepped through the door "Blueberries?" He thrust the bag in their direction.

"Our genius was outshining itself again." the billionaire grinned "Brucie and I managed to get reading on some of the Chitauri weapons."

"That's great, Tony." Steve took the StarkPad that the inventor thrust at him and started reading.

"Where did you locate it, Bruce?" Natasha leaned on the lab table, bestowing the scientist with a big smile. Anything to get the tingling out of her spine, that seemed to appear anytime Cap was close to her.

"And today's price behind door number 3, is a trip to ... London." Tony exclaimed "JARVIS has scheduled wheels up in 30. You both better pack quickly."

"Both?!" Steve exclaimed "You mean me and Natasha, both?" His shock was apparent.

"Any issues, Cap." Natasha said coldly, was it that horrendous to spend some time with her?

"No." Steve shook his head quickly "No issues at all."

"Wonderful. I have to pack. I see you downstairs in 20 minutes." She turned on her heel and strode out of the lab. "Everything alright, Capsicle?" Tony looked at him closely.

Steve shook his head "Yeah, Yeah...just haven't been in London in a while."

"I'd call 70 years a while too. You better hurry, soldier. The way Natasha looked, she might actually turn in to the black widow and eat her mate if you are late for that jet." Steve smiled weakly at Tony's joke and said his goodbyes before hurrying to his quarters.

* * *

"Rogers? Steve what are you looking at?"

Steve had been staring in one direction for a while now and seemed almost spell bound. Natasha followed his line of view, he looked at a woman a few tables away from them and she almost choked on her drink...the woman who had Captain America so fascinated was Sarah. What are the bloody chances.

"Do you want me to introduce you?" She asked, cocking her eyebrow.

"I'm sure she'd love to meet Captain America."

"Natasha, no! We are in the middle of a mission." Steve exclaimed.

"So if we wouldn't be...you would want me to?"

"What...no!" Steve stammered. "She just reminds me of someone...and by the way what would you do? Just go over there and ask her to meet me?"

Natasha swallowed, he's considering...of all her throwing women in his way, he picked Sarah?!

"Yes, that is exactly what I'd do."

"And that would work?" Steve was baffled. Oh boy...he was just way to innocent for this world, Natasha shook her head, he really had no idea how good looking he was. Don't think that, Romanoff, don't go there.

Natasha stood up, and Steve took a double take.

"Natasha, no! Don't do that."

But too late the Russian spy was already on her way over to the girl he had been looking at. Steve sighed, what was he thinking to look at this girl with Natasha here. Of course, she was trying to set him up with her, she kept throwing every available girl first from SHIeLD and now from the Avengers at him. This woman just reminded him of someone, he wasn't interested in her, nobody could hold his attention like Natasha.

He couldn't believe his eyes, Natasha tapped the woman on the shoulder, said something to her gestured towards him, bent down whispered something in her ear and straightened up and winked at him, his mouth fell open. What the fuck! Was it really that easy, by the time he recovered, the woman excused herself from her friends and followed Natasha over to their table.

"Steve, I would like you to meet Sarah. Sarah this is Steve."

He stood up and held out his hand. "Nice to meet you ma'am."

Sarah took his hand and shook it strongly" nice to meet you too, Steve."

"Ok, why don't you sit and down and you two lovebirds talk, while I follow the arms dealer into the back alley he just disappeared to." Natasha stood up and pressed a kiss on Sarah's cheek before leaving the table and the pub.

"NAT..." how could she say something like this in front of a woman none of them knows.

"Relax.", Sarah put her hand on his arm. "Nat knows what she is doing. The guy apparently recognised you, but not her. Next time you might want to hide those muscles." She smirked at him.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Sarah, I think we just got introduced? I heard, that the short term memory is shot once you hit 90."

Steve stared at her, not even recognising the dig at his age.

"I'm a friend of Natasha's." Sarah said quietly "when she noticed you looking at me she thought it was a good idea to throw this guy a curve ball. It's nice to finally meet you."

Sarah smiled at Steve and he still looked at her baffled.

"Who are you, SHIELD, FBI, CIA or MI6?"

"Red Cross."

"What?"

"Nat was right you are a bit slow on the uptake, I mean 70 years on the ice can do that to someone. I work for international Red Cross, that's how I met Natasha."

Steve still couldn't believe it, Natasha had a friend outside of SHIELD? Suddenly they heard a noise and something slammed against the window behind them.

"I think we should make sure Nat isn't killing the dude." Sarah smiled "she mentioned something along the lines of an interrogation."

With that she stood up and turned to one of the many side entrances of the pub. Steve quickly followed her, a civilian involving herself in one of Natasha's fights, couldn't end well.

"Let me, Ma'am." He held the door open for her and pushed her behind me just in the right moment as the black widow send the arms dealer flying in his direction.

"I think that's enough, Romanoff. We still need him to find those chitauri weapons." He held the idiot up by the end of his shirt.

"You are taking all the fun out of this, Rogers." Natasha smirked and landed a right hook in the arm dealers face. She shook out her hand and smiled at Steve before turning towards Sarah

"I'd love to catch up but I have to deal with this piece of shit, but I leave you Rogers here for entertainment, he was quite enamoured with you." Natasha winked at her before cuffing the criminal and pushed him forward to the waiting police.

"Hi!" "Hi!" Steve and Sarah said at the same time and laughed.

"So...Natasha said you were enamoured with me?" Sarah said with a cheeky smile and looped her arm through his.

"Hem...I..."

"Relax, Steve. I'm sure Natasha is meant to be teasing you.", especially as she actually loves you' Sarah finished the sentence in her head. Steve shook his head, and started walking back into the pub.

Turning around to her he opens the door "Yeah sometime you can't tell the difference."

"Well that's just Nat." Sarah shrugged. "Let me tell my friends that I'll be leaving and then we can pick up Nat at Scotland Yard."

Steve could not believe it, Natasha had a friend outside of the avengers. But here he was in a typical Londoner terraced house, looking at pictures on a mantlepiece and she was in those pictures. And she was smiling to boot! Sarah stood next to him and handed him a beer.

"Not easy to reconcile the Black Widow with this Natasha, isn't it."

Before taking a drag of her own beer.

"Yeah." Steve sighed "have you ever seen her as Black Widow?"

Sarah closed her eyes, she didn't like to think about it. Looking at Steve she considered lying, but she couldn't, not when he looked at her with his captain America trusty eyes.

"That's how we met." Before Steve could made her elaborate further, he was intrigued as hell by their friendship, Natasha joined them in the living room

"Now, I'm feeling better. Nothing worse than smelling like an arms dealer." She took Sarah's beer and took a sip.

"You're welcome, hun." Sarah grumbled before getting another one.

"What's the plan for tonight?" Natasha looked at Sarah.

"It's Sunday." Sarah answered matter of factly.

"Downton Abbey time!" Natasha exclaimed. Steve looked confused, had he ever heard Natasha cheer?  
"What is Downton Abbey?" Steve looked confused, maybe a weirdly named pub, the two liked to go to.

"Oh, soldier. You are in for a treat." Natasha steered him to the sofa "It's like the good ol' times, you should feel right at home." Steve looked confused, he sat down stiffly on the sofa.

"It's a tv show, Steve." Sarah took pity on him "a period piece, playing in the early 20th Century."

Chuckling at Steve's face "don't worry. We'll take you to some of the best Thai food afterwards."

He smiled gratefully at Sarah - he could eat. "Shush! It's starting." Natasha fixed them both with a glare and Sarah winked at him, before turning her attention to the screen.

* * *

Steve kept watching them both, all the way through the show, on their way to the best Thai Place, during dinner and then when Sarah made the bed in the guest room for him. He couldn't figure the two of them out, they were so close to each other. Natasha seemed different too, as soo as they met Sarah, she wasn't cold to him anymore. It was almost like a year ago, when they were on the run together. He missed their closeness. He knew he was part of the issue, trying to find Bucky took a lot of his time and energy and if he was completely honest with himself, he wasn't too sure what he wanted from her. But one thing he knew for sure, he wants to pull Natasha into a hug like Sarah did, without fear of her pulling away. And he wants her to steal his beer and press a kiss to his cheek and not to Sarah's. He groaned and pummelled the pillow.

He wanted her to be that comfortable with him.

xx

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the long delay. I was wrestling with this for such a long time. The final chapter before we are hitting the mess that is Civil War.

I have never worked for the Red Cross, everything I know is from my trusty friend google!

* * *

"You wanna tell me what's going on with you?" Sarah pinned her friend down with a stare.

"I don't know what you mean." Natasha shrugged her shoulders and cradled her coffee cup closer.

"Please Nat." Sarah scoffed, the spatula stabbed at her friend sitting in front of her "I'm not stupid. Why do you keep pushing Steve at me."

"I just think you two would be perfect for each other." Natasha said primly and was met with two raised eyebrows.

"Try to sell it somewhere else." Sarah looked expectantly at her friend but she wasn't forthcoming with information, the waffle maker beeped, relieving Nat of Sarah's attention.

"I just..." Sarah started while lifting the waffle onto a plate. She stopped herself, when she heard someone coming down the stairs.

Moments later Steve appeared in the doorway and smiled "I knew I could smell waffles."

He hovered next to Natasha who sat on the bar stools at the oven kitchen island.

"I wasn't too sure what you are drinking in the morning, Steve. Coffee, tea or some juice?"

A slight embarrassed smile crept onto his features and Natasha hid a snort in her coffee mug.

"What?" Sarah looked at them.

"You super soldiers do eat breakfast, don't you?"

Steve scratches his neck "Sure, sure."

Sarah tilted her head, waiting for his answer. "I'll have a hot chocolate, please." Steve mumbled.

"Ok." Sarah grinned to herself while Natasha burst out laughing. "That Never gets old, Cap. America's hero doesn't need caffeine to keep him going. What would the world say about that?" Her right eyebrow quirked challenging, expecting a response.

"Could be worse." Sarah shrugged while putting a cup of milk in the microwave to heat it up.

"Thank you! Finally someone who understands."

"It could have been a glass of milk."

Natasha bowed over laughing, gripping on Steve's arm to not loose her balance "That's his other favourite."

Steve looked indignantly at the two women. "You are making fun of me aren't you?"

"Us, never?!" Sarah exclaimed while making a little cross over her heart.

Natasha still chuckled and clutched onto Steve's arm, her head resting on his bicep. Sarah smiles looking at her friend, when Nat met her gaze she subtly nodded to Nat's hands still holding onto Steve.

As if she was burnt the redhead let go of her partner and shot her friend a glare.

Sarah smirked and then handed Steve a cup of hot chocolate "Breakfast is ready!" She herded both avengers to the table where the trio tucked into waffles, fruits and discussed which new London attraction to take Steve for the day.

The weather had been kind to them, the October sun shone brightly bathing London in a soft light that only exists in autumn and makes everything look a bit out of focus. Climing the steps of St. Paul's Cathedrale had been Steve's highlight, seeing the city spread out in front of him, he wished he'd taken his drawing pad with him. He reduced himself to take tons of pictures with his StarkPhone that he slowly got to grips on how to use. Sarah talked him and Nat into taking some selfies before arranging them infront of the balustrade to take a picture of the two Avengers. Steve sneaked his arm around Natasha, only to not take up too much space of the ither visitors, and beamed brightly at Sarah who took the snapshot with her phone.

A little while later they crossed London Bridge and retreated into a small pub around the corner from Sarah's place.

"This was the best day." Steve leaned against a table in a dark pub and smiled at Natasha. He watched Sarah standing at the bar waiting for their drink order. "We should do this more often."

"What Steve?"

"Visiting friends, having a drink in a bar, going sight seeing." He emptied the last of his beer before he spoke again "Being normal."

"Steve." Natasha sighed "The only reason we are here is because..."

"I know, I know. But wouldn't it be nice." His head was bent down to Natasha, trying to keep the conversation and if he could take a sneaky whiff of her shampoo, even better.

"Yeah it would be nice." Natasha said wistfully.

* * *

Stepping out of the carrier Natasha tried to regain her bearings. Where are the others?

She couldn't believe it, Fury saves the day again. One moment she was almost content to die alongside Steve in the crushing city of Sokovia and one moment later they were on a carrier flown to safety.

Natasha watched the people of Sokovia disembark, searching for loved ones or being transported to tents with red crosses on them that had appeared suddenly.

Her gaze found Tony, he looked like he was going to vomit, all this destruction. The witch, Wanda she reminded herself was helped down by Steve, she could only imagine how empty she must feel after her brother died.

The Hulk had disappeared and taken Bruce Banner god knows where - Rejection spread in her chest - from the one who could relate to being a monster. Deep in her thoughts she helped Clint who was still bleeding of the carrier and towards the tents.

The throng of people became thicker more like a swarm, disjointed cries for doctors and lost loved ones could be heard.

Steve fell into step with her and Clint, Wanda in his arms. A silent decision was made that the girl needed to get checked out by a doctor that wasn't wearing tactical gear, preferably. The witch had shaken like a leaf when a SHIELD paramedic tried to ascertain her injuries.

"Fucking honestly!" Nat turned around quickly, she recognised that agitated voice anywhere. Sarah stood in the autumn breeze, a too large Red Cross hoodie hung of her frame, hands on her hips.

"I'll leave you alone for two weeks and you start blowing up countries?!"

"I...I..." Natasha didn't think she ever felt that relieved to see her friend.

The last week was agony!

The memories forced on her from Wanda, Clint revealing his family to the others, Ultron, Sokovia and then Bruce. Natasha drew in a shaky breath before dropping Clint on a nearby chair, two steps later she stood in front of her friend.

In her heeled boots Nat was the same height as her, before she could say anything else, Natashas forehead dropped to her shoulder and the spy closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Shocked Sarah lifted her arms around Nat and squeezed tight, she could feel her shaking. Her questioning eyes met Steve's but the Cap only closed his eyes quickly, his lips drawing into a tight line.

Her hands gliding in soothing motions down Natasha's back and arms, giving her a couple minutes to gather her thoughts.

When she could feel her friend relax she whispered into her ear: "Who is that girl and why is she wearing your leather jacket."

A quiet chuckle escaped Natasha "Apparently she's on our side now."

"Ok. But that doesn't the answer why she's wearing your jacket."

Natasha lifted her head and wanted to start into what Sarah was doing here, when her friend released her out of their hug, Sarah cut her off "Do you need a medic?"

"I'm fine...I think. But she." Natasha gestures to the girl still in Steve's arms "She needs one. A civilian one if you got."

"We only have civilian anything, Nat. We are the Red Cross not the military."

The two exchanged a glance, a silent conversation taken place. "Later, Nat. Ok?"

"Ok."

"Hey boss!" someone shouted across the areal and Sarah turned "Your office has arrived. Where do you want to have it."

Sarah smiled, she was finally back to where she belonged, in the ERU, helping people, not trying to wrangle money and support from idiot politicians and hard headed CEO's.

Jogging over to the lorry she directed the Logistics Team towards the grassy patch that was designated for it.

Usually it took up to 48 hours for the Red Cross to dispatch emergency response units, but a call from a certain 'billionaire - genius - philanthropist' got red tape cut pretty quickly.

Stepping into the tent, Sarah and her team busied themselves to setting up laptops, satellite phone and Sarah prayed that the internet connection was working soon.

"Knock, knock." Tony pushed the flap of the tent to the side. Several heads turned to him and gasped seeing him still in part of his Iron Man armour.

"Mr. Stark." Sarah greeted him "What can I do for you?" He nodded his head for her to follow him outside.

"I'll be right back."

Stepping out of the tent, "Do you mind if we walk while we talk? I need to bring this to the hospital."

"Sure." Tony followed her and Sarah repeated her question.

"First of all you can call me Tony. Mr. Stark was my father." Sarah smiled and nodded

"Alright, Tony."

"And then you can tell me how your brother is?"

Sarah laughed out loud "Shouldn't you know that better, he is heading up your space department."

"I'm not interested in work news, I want the gossip only a little sister could have. Pepper brought some interesting flight patterns to my attention, Paris, Venice and Bora Bora are not really business destinations."

Sarah looked at him funny.

"I mean don't get me wrong, I'm all for it if he gets laid, he needed it to be honest." At that Sarah pulled a face, certain things a little sister just doesn't want to know.

"Sorry...sorry." Tony realised his mistake "but honestly he just doesn't say anything when I ask him, so I thought maybe you know..." he trailed off.

"Tony, look around. Is this really the right time or place to talk about my brothers sex life?" She gestured at the destruction around them "and for future reference there never is."

"Is later now?"

"Yeah."

Sarah motioned for Natasha to sit down in the little porter cabin they installed for her.

"You really think being here will be alright?"

No foreplay then, well if Natasha wanted to dive right in.

"I was the only one available." She tried at first, but was met with a single raised eyebrow, how the fuck was she doing that anyway? Sarah tried to teach it herself for years now.

"And the only one that volunteered and was ready to go within the hour."

"Sarah!"

"It's my job, Nat. All that shmoozing, giving lectures was just until they cleared me."

"And they did?"

"I'm on a break from my break. Until this has been sorted out and someone else becomes available."

"That's not the same."

Sarah nodded and then shrugged her left shoulder "I take what I can get. How else can I prove that I'm ready to be back in the field, if not in the field."

"Believe me, if someone gets it, it's me..."

"You guys have more depressing shit happen to you every single day. And you still jump into the fight."

"It's not the same." Natasha repeated herself, how can Sarah not understand that she needed to be save.

The one person in her life that belongs to her and who isn't touched by the daily darkness that consumes, who isn't related to the red in her ledger.

The case seems to be closed, they both knew if they didn't stop now it could turn ugly and hurtful.

"That was quite the welcome i got earlier on." Sarah left the sentence vague, if Nat wanted to delve further she'd pick it up if not then there was nothing that would make the spy talk.

"Didn't expect to see...it was a surprise." Natasha mumbled.

"Good surprise?"

"Always." The two women smiled at each other.

"Who's the girl?" Sarah prodded lightly.

Natasha sighed "First an enemy, apparently now an ally."

Trying to gather her thoughts "she just lost her brother."

She chanced a glance at Sarah. Her friends eyes shone with compassion, she grabbed Sarah's hand before continuing.

"The destruction in Africa...that was us...she messed with our minds. Effectively knocking us either out or making the rage worse."

Nat thought back to Bruce, how not even Veronica could contain him and herself catatonic from some memories. "She showed us things, the future, the past or our worst nightmares." Sarah squeezes her hand. "I was back...back in the red room."

Sarah closed her eyes, trying to hide the hurt that she felt on her friends behalf.

"Then this shit show" Natasha continued "I made Bruce turn into the other guy, I just had promised him, I'd run away with him. What does that make me? A manipulating bitch? Someone that doesn't stop at anything to win? Disregarding his feelings, and now he is gone. I made him leave! I'm no better than Fury or the red room. I'm manipulating, conniving and..."

"Hey!" Sarah interrupted "you are my friend! So stop talking about yourself that way! I won't have it."

"But"

"No! Now listen to me...and we come to you running away with Bruce soon.

You are not manipulating or conniving. In a shitty situation you made some tough decisions. Were those the right ones? Who the fuck knows. Believe me the politicians and media will tell you real soon. But they needed to be made and you made them.

And I bet all of my meagre savings and my KitchenAid, that you made those with only one goal in mind - to save as many people as you can. Sacrificing yourself in the fucking process. So no, you are not like Fury or like the red room. And if I ever hear you say that again, I'll kick your ass."

Sarah fixed Natasha with a stare, willing her to see that she meant every single word.

"Since you got out, all of your decisions were made to save people, and that includes rescuing me. So on behalf of all of us. Thank you Natasha Romanoff. You are a good person!"

She pressed a kiss to Nats forehead.

"I can't believe you'd bet your KitchenAid, you love that thing!" The two of them started to giggle. "See how serious i take this, it's my most priced possession."

Some rustling was heard from outside and suddenly the door opened, almost ripped out of its angles.

"Lady Natasha, we were looking for you! The avengers are ready to depart." Thor boomed into the small space.

Sarah's eyes widened, the god of thunder filled out all of the door way and then some.

"Am I intruding?" He ducked his head to step into the porter cabin and glanced at the intertwined hands of the two women.

"I didn't realise you were with your beloved?"

Natasha snorted "She isn't my beloved Thor. She is my best friend."

Standing up and dragging Sarah by their linked hands Natasha turned to her friend.

"Thor, I like you to meet Sarah Enders. Sarah this is Thor."

"It's such a pleasure to meet a friend of the Lady Natasha!" He Booms at Sarah and shakes her hand vigorously.

"The next time there are revels after a fight you must come and join us!"

Sarah smirked, Thor seemed great fun. "If you invite me, I'll definitely will Thor. Revels sounds like fun."

"He means a party." Natasha clarified.

"I know that! And come to think of that Romanoff where was my invite to these previous revels?"

"Must have gotten lost in the post." Natasha snarked back "only good girls who do what their therapist tells them gets invited to the post fight revels."

"Ah where would be the fun in actually listening to those therapists jabbering on."

Natasha threw her hands in the air "Impossible! You're fucking impossible."

"And you love me anyway."

Joining the waiting avengers, Sarah smiled and waved at Clint whom she met once and then surprised the rest when she pressed a kiss to Steve's cheek.

"I trust you with my best friend. Don't let me down."

Captain America nodded solemnly and kissed her cheek right back.

Thor patted her back in goodbye almost making her keel over reiterating his invite to join them for the next session of revels.

Another big hug for Natasha and then the avengers boarded the quinjet left behind for them.

"Oh Tony!" Sarah yelled, before the landing ramp could close.

She pulled an old photograph out of her jeans pocket.

"Use it wisely!"

"What is it?"

"I'm the little sister, I have all of the blackmail material."

"Oh, Mini Max I adore you!" Tony jumped down the ramp and pressed a massive kiss on her lips.

"Don't loose it, it's one of my favourites!"

"You'll have it back as soon as I was able to make copies." He crossed his fingers over his heart as a promise. "Why do you give it to me?"

"I owe you big time, you send Natasha to rescue me and you gave me my best friend."

"I'd say now we are even!"

He jumps back onto the jet "Any Chance you have more of these?"

"Nope - I'll still need my own blackmail material!"

With that the jet lifted off, leaving Sarah standing in the ruins of Sokovia.


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry for the long delay - real life and a bit of a writing block.  
Not much Nat and Sarah interaction this time, but we say welcome to the one and only Bucky Barnes.

Chapter 4

The meeting had gotten heated quickly. Somehow her boss obtained a blueprint of the accords. Around her the big wigs shouted, Sarah tried to make sense of the blueprint in front of her. It was riddled with construed language, loopholes and make believe rules. She truly hoped that Tony had a good set of lawyers to go through this with a fine tooth comb, that piece of legislation was one large land mine.

"Miss Enders, What do you think?" Her boss, the head of the ERU division looked at her. "To be quite honest, I have no clue what I'm doing here. I'm not a lawyer nor high enough in the food chain to sit in this meeting." "Well, you are uniquely qualified to comment on the avengers, aren't you?" One of the other heads of departments threw in.

Sarah sucked in a breath, did they know about Natasha? They couldn't, she hadn't told anyone in the office, they all knew her as Nathalie.

"What do you mean?" She replied vaguely.

"You have led the last ERU after an Avenger mission, haven't you? Seen the destruction. What happens to people who are caught in the cross fire. And you know Tony Stark."

Ah there it was, thank you bro for working for one of the most well known avengers.

"First of all, i don't know Tony Stark, its my brother who works for him." She let her eyes wander round the room "Second, I think the avengers are handled like any other agency, their fuck ups are public and their successes are private." She let that sit for a while, she remembered the media outburst after Sokovia too clearly.

"I think that this is a complicated paper written up by scared people and politicians trying to make the most of that fear."

"What do you think about the accords."

"Nothing."

"Care to elaborate?"

"I can't give you an opinion within 5 minutes of reading a document that's clearly full of expert language, you'd need a bunch of lawyers to make it understandable."

"We don't have that time, it's getting presented to the avengers today, and signed by the UN in 3 days."

A storm broke loose in the room.

"Are you kidding me?"

"This is crazy!"

"Why so quickly?"

Slowly order returned to the room.

"We need to come up with a position." The chairman said.

Sarah leaned back, fuck this was really way over her pay grade.

She thought of Natasha and Steve, it was not even quite morning yet in New York. She needed to call them, warn them, do something.

Sarah sighed, what viable information could she give Nat? She didn't even had a chance to take a picture of the accords. All phones had been confiscated before entering that meeting room.

A sharp knock interrupted the discussion. One of the assistants head appeared "Miss Enders there is a phone call from Lagos for you. It's urgent."

Sarah looked at her boss and he waved her off.

"Over here." The Assistant waved her towards an empty desk "It's line 3." Sarah took a deep breath and punched the key.

"Hello?!"

It was one of her colleagues in London, they needed someone in an refugee camp. Most of the project organiser were wiped out with the flu, 4 days tops, they promised. Sarah rolled her eyes at the phone receiver, what was that for a question - of course she'd go.

She could hear the sigh of relief from her team on the phone. The next moment her mobile pinged with the flight details. She had 2.5 hours to get to the airport.

Sarah smiled at the assistant and asked her to organise a cab before heading back into the meeting.

The atmosphere was still tense and Sarah stood behind her vacated chair. She cleared her throat "I'm really sorry, but I need to leave." All of the eyes were on her now "there seems to be an epidemic of flu going around in camp A-1164 and the Australians have asked us to send some support until their back up can arrive in 4 days.

"Of course Ms Enders" the head stood up "I don't think I need to reiterate that anything you heard or read today was highly confidential." "Of course not, Ma'am." Sarah nodded at her before leaving.

This was going to be a cluster fuck!

Sitting in the taxi her head fell against the car window. No rest for the wicked and there went her plan to go and see Natasha in the new avenger facility. Her text to Nat was short, "tables turned this time. New mission for me, not too sure when I'll be back, deploying in 2 hours."

Then another one on a different number

"Don't sign anything without going through it with a fine tooth comb. This is going to blow up."

Sarah was going through all the different scenarios in her head. They'd sign, they didn't sign, half of them did, they would retire, go underground...in no way shape or form was this going to end well.

Not that she didn't agree with some of the accords sentiment, but not like this, not on the sly and through the back door.

How long must have Secretary Ross sat on the piece of legislation? How did he manage the get it ratified by so many nations without one journalist getting wind of this?

This all doesn't add up.

Her musings were disrupted by the cab pulling into the airport drop off zone.

Going through the airport procedures like a well rehearse dance, Sarah's mind still was going in circles about the accords.

She checked her phone repeatedly, no response from Nat on either phone numbers.

Sarah could feel the annoyed look from the stewardess, and after one final check turned her phone off.

Here goes nothing.

* * *

"We have what we have when we have it." Natasha's words stuck with Steve, all the way too Sarah's house. He needed another perspective, he needed someone to tell him, he was doing the right thing.

He just buried the woman he loved for so long, and the woman he trusted the most left him too. He hasn't felt that lonely in a very long time.

Sarah's house came into view, the front garden was still in bloom from the left over summer. Steve rang the door bell and tried to detect some movement behind the Art Deco glass.

He could hear the front gate closing and he turned around.

"I thought you'd come here." Natasha leaned against Sarah's car, her arms crossed.

"Twice in one day, Natasha? Shouldn't you be on the way to Vienna?"

"What are you doing here, Steve?"

"Just visiting a friend."

"She's not..." "She's not what? Not my friend? Do you think you have the power to make that decision for us?"

Natasha took a deep breath. 'Don't Hit him, he just lost the love of his life. Don't hit him, you do love him.'

"I was going to say, she's not here."

Steve kept looking at her, challenging her sentence silently.

Natasha groaned and pulled her mobile out of her pocket, handing it to Steve. "Open the App." She encouraged him. Steve swiped to the secure messaging app on her phone and there it was Sarah's last message:

'tables turned this time. New mission for me, not too sure when I'll be back, deploying in 2 hours.'

"She was supposed to come to visit...belated birthday present." Natasha elaborated. Steve nodded and handed her back the phone. "What are you doing here, Steve?"

"I...I just wanted to hear her opinion." That stung...deeply. He valued Sarah's opinion over her's. He never - sought her out over the accords. "Why? Do you think it would be different to mine?" "Well, I didn't think you'd disagreed with me on that."

Natasha took a deep breath, this was not what was supposed happened, especially not here in Sarah's front yard.

"You know what she would say to you, Steve?" Natasha was fuming now, how dare he bringing Sarah into this, actually coming here alone could put her into danger "she would say that we needed oversight. That the killing in Sokovia and Lagos was on our heads. That we were reckless and stupid and we should be held accountable just like a non avenger would if they wreck havoc." "Are you kidding me, Natasha." Steve pushed his hand through his hair "Sarah wouldnt! She believes that we should decide where we go! That we shouldn't be penalised for things that happen while we save people's lives. That we should have a right to choose where we go and not being forced to watch if we could help." Steve was getting agitated, why wouldn't she understand! Why did she want to give up control, Natasha never relinquished control, why would she know?

"This is not the conversation to have in her front yard and without her, don't you think."

Natasha broke his trail of thoughts.

"I'll need to head to Vienna, the signing is tomorrow."

With that she turned to leave, but then she looked over her shoulder once more: "Steve, I know we don't agree on much at the moment. But please don't involve Sarah. You know she'd do anything to help... put herself in danger and even worse in legal trouble."

Steve looked at her, the worry etched into her face was real. Natasha could hide a lot of things but not the depth of feelings she had for Sarah.

"I promise."

* * *

Exhausted sat Steven and Bucky in the quintet. Both still shaken with what happened in that bunker. He fought Tony, he'd almost killed Tony, he almost killed his friend. The jet sweared and they needed to hold on tightly, just as much as he needed to hold onto his frayed thoughts.

Steve sat toward the back, while Bucky had taken his spot in the co-pilot seat. The auto pilot was doing all the work for them at the moment.

Something caught Steve's eye, a bag was shoved underneath the seat opposite him. He crouched down and recognised it as one of Natasha's smaller duffel bags. He opened it slowly, maybe she had left a widow bite in there. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility, her room in the compound was rigged up with little traps as well. He shook the bag carefully with his foot, nothing exploded.

He opened the bag with trepidation, you could never be too on guard with Nat.

Change of clothes, some cash, toiletry bag and something else...hidden in the jeans pocket. It was an older phone, he recognised it from some older movies they watched together.

He turned the phone in his hand, it could be their lifeline, the ability to call for help.

Taking a deep breath, he promised himself he would apologise to Nat...or more likely adding it to the long list of things he needed to apologise for.

Steve unlocked the phone and was met with a text message. He gasped, she had known, she had known something, if he'd just had the time to talk to her.

Before he could contemplate the text further, the jet took a deep dip. "I think something just went off." Bucky's voice was raw as he intently watched the lights on the control board flicker.

"Yeah, you could be right." Steve joined him in the cockpit and Bucky looked at him "what do you mean, I could be right?"

"I'm actually not a pilot, jerk."

"Are you telling me, that we stole a Plane and you don't actually know how to fly?"

"I do!"

Bucky just kept looking at him

"Once it's on autopilot."

"Fuck!" Buckys eyes not leaving the dashboard, the jet losing height slowly, and a flickering could be seen through the windows.

"Any ideas where we are?" Steve looked outside. "Somewhere over Europe, I'd guess." Bucky started pressing some buttons and managed to find some maps. Who'd guess, Stark would still have something that old school in his jets.

"From what i can see here and according to the coordinates we are over south Germany."

"How far do you think we can make it?" Steve still toyed with the phone in his hand.

"Not sure, maybe 1,500 km if we are lucky, but knowing us, I don't wanna push our luck." Bucky was still bent over the maps.

'1,500 km should get them to the UK.' Steve thought. He took a deep breath, glancing at the text on Nat's phone once more, send from Little Sis.

"What are you doing?" Bucky looked at him "Planning to help me anytime soon, Punk?"

Steve sighed, he was going to break the most important promise he ever made and it didn't even take him 5 days to do so.

"Getting us some help." Steve pressed the dial button.

Natasha was going to kill him!

Here goes nothing.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sarah was fuming, sending her to Africa had been completely unnecessary, by the time she arrived the replacement from Australia was already on their way, and she on her flight back two days later. Exhausted she put in for a compensation leave and had taken the plane to Germany and not to London. She was going to recuperate in her grandpas old skiing hut.

The rural south German village called to her, she thought of school holidays spend in the remoteness of her grandpa's old house.

The houses of both her grandparents had been sold after they died but her parents and the rest of the family just couldn't part with the ski hut, the old rickety building were all kids learned how to make firewood, and more importantly were they learned how to ski and celebrated every Christmas.

Standing apart from the skiing slopes and other houses, it was idyllic.

Little mobile reception and no WiFi seemed to sweeten the deal in her mind. She had some thinking to do, the accords and the implications of it still heavily on her mind. She spend most of the last 4 days in the air and had no clue what actually had happened.

Sarah called her parents from the airport to make sure none of her cousins or other family were currently using the house.

Driving her rental car into the village, she decided to stock up on groceries before heading up the Serpentine roads.

Stepping into the small grocery shop, she noticed the headlines of the newspapers for the first time:

Captain America fugitive

UN assembles to sign Sokovia Accords

United Nations at quarters bombed by winter soldiers

Avengers divided

She gasped, the owner looked at her: "Everything alright?" Sarah nodded and grabbed all the newspapers she could reach and planted them onto the counter, plus a packet of cigarettes, she might need those.

"Crazy stuff, isn't it?" he nods towards the headlines "Was all over the news yesterday as well. I'd say this Winter Soldier blew up the head of quarters in Vienna and that this Captain America dude is now on the run with him. Apparently they made a right mess of Leipzig airport too, fighting each other for a change and not innocent bystanders."

Sarah couldn't believe what she was hearing. She left the little shop quickly and raced to the house.

Throwing the newspapers and groceries on the kitchen table, Sarah scrambled back to her car, opening her laptop back frantically she felt for the secret compartment and let out a breath, when her hand closed around an old beat up Nokia.

She booted it up, for the first time in what felt like forever. The screen lit up - the old jingle played. She stared at the screen, this thing even had full reception, take that you stupid iPhone.

She tried calling Natasha but didn't get an answer and didn't dare to leave a voicemail.

Calling three more times in quick succession, their emergency signal, Sarah tried to stay calm.

This doesn't need to mean anything, Nat could have just forgotten to take the phone with her, or it might have gotten destroyed during a fight.

' She will contact you once she can. Get a grip, Enders.' Sarah argued with herself. She put away the groceries and dropped her suitcase in her old room. The old phone either in her hand or in view.

Sarah started to pace, every forth she stared at the phone, every back she forced herself to read the papers she picked up. She didn't dare turning on the tv or radio, the chances that there would be any less fake news than in the paper were fuckingly slim.

—-

After what felt like hours of pacing, the phone rang!

"Nat!" She shouted breathlessly in the device.

"Sarah?!" She couldn't place the voice straight away, but then it clicked.

"Steve!"

A short break of silence ensued.

"How did you get this phone!" "

"Put Natasha on the line."

They asked at the same time. Ever the gentleman, Steve insisted she goes first.

"Can you put Nat on the line, please?"

"She isn't with me, Sarah."

The shocked her, how could they have split up and how did he get her number without her.

"How did you know to call this phone then?" "I stole her quinjet." He mumbled. "And found her bag with the phone." Sarah finished his sentence with a sigh.

Steve hesitated a second before he whispered "I need your help."

Sarah didn't even think "Of course! What do you need, Steve."

"A place to crash for a couple of hours, somewhere we can hide the jet and ourselves." Some terrifying noises came over the line.

"And maybe fix the jet." Another voice could be heard over the ruckus.

Sarah could guess who else was in the jet, the newspapers were quite detailed on how Steve betrayed his country to save his friend.

"Sarah, I don't want to put you in a bad position, but anywhere you know...where it's quiet and maybe not near any city..."

Steve trailed off, he shouldn't be asking. He shouldn't have called. He knew the moment he saw the code name 'Little Sister' who was going to answer that phone. He continued to break one promise after another, spoken ones and unspoken ones. But this, this could cost him more than putting that plane into the ice ever had.

"Dont worry about me." Sarah's voice shook him out of his musings.

She needed to shout over the noise, scrambling for a map with longitude and latitude, thank you dad for being a map nerd. Repeating the coordinates twice, she wanted to make sure.

"Do you think you'll be able to make it?"

"Yes, we will. What can we expect once we get there?" Steve tried to think ahead, they needed some supplies, some stuff to fix the jet.

"Running water, first aid, some food, maybe a mechanic..." if they stole a quinjet, they'd need someone to fix it. No way Steve be able to, he couldn't repair anything that run on a fuse without getting electrocuted. She'd need to call Max and make him come "and me."

"Sarah, no!" It was official, Nat was going to kill him. Steve looked over at Bucky who was trying to keep the jet steady and unseen with the cloaking functionality gone. Once in a while what was left of his arm would spark dangerously. Just for an hour to regroup, he promised himself. The state they were in now, they'd never make it to Wakanda.

"We'll be there in 30 minutes."

Sarah ran upstairs readying first aid supplies, towels and made sure the boiler was turned on.

Then she picked up her phone.

"Enders." Her brother sounded all business, she must have caught him in the middle of something and he didn't check the caller ID.

"Hey Bruderherz"

"Sarah! You back from Africa?"

"Max!" She nipped his barrage of questions in the bud "I need a favour no questions asked."

"Ok" her brother sounded hesitant.

"You promise."

"Promise."

"I need you to come to grandmas house and bring some equipment to fix some Stark Tech." "Sarah! What? No, what's going on?"

"You promised me, Max. No questions asked. And I'm asking to come to grandmas house as there might or might not be some stark tech to repair." She needed to keep this vague, her brother still thought she was 5 years old.

"You're killing me."

"You promised."

She could hear the gears in Max head turning.

"I need to wrap up a meeting and then finish some stuff. The earliest I can be there is tomorrow morning."

"No, Max! I need you here today - preferably in the next two hours."

"I can't just drop everything and disappear in the middle of the day. I have a job you know." Max huffed, his sister had ideas.

"Please! I need your help." And there it was, he was such a sucker.

Another big sigh "Ok, I'm just finishing this meeting you pulled me out of, then I'm driving up."

"Thanks!"

"Sarah what type of tech is it?"

"The flying kinda a type."

"Fuck, Sarah! Fuck!" The alert that a quinjet had been stolen came in a couple of hours ago.

"Max." Sarah's voice was low, almost begging.

"I'll be there in 2 hours. Don't touch anything and ... " Max swallowed "please be careful."

"Thanks." Disconnecting the call, Sarah let out a breath, at least one problem was handled.

—-

The telltale sound of a jet landing drove her out of the house and down the garden to the far end where it gradually became part of the forest.

The jet opened its doors and Steve fell more than he walked out.

He looked horrendous, haunted eyes, an actual black eye and too many bruises to count.

Then she set her eyes on the Winter Soldier, no Sergeant Barnes, she reminded herself. He was missing an arm again, but this time his arm socket didn't bleed but sparked once in a while. And had cuts all over and what looked like burns.

Up until now, she had hoped, silly she knows, that Nat would be with them.

"Steve!" She stood on her tiptoes to envelope Captain America in a hug, and even then he still managed to lift her slightly of her feet.

"Sergeant Barnes." She extended her hand to him.

Bucky looked down at her hand and back up at her face. No one has extended their hand to him in what felt like an eternity. He hesitated. What was he supposed to do?

Sarah started to drop her hand, she hadn't meant to make him feel weird but the way he stared at her hand, gave her the impression she had achieved it without trying.

She startled when her hand was engulfed by Bucky's larger one. "Hello..." he trailed off.

"Sarah." She finished off for him and smiled. "Like your Mam, Steve?" He let go of Sarah's hand and looked over to his best friend.

"Yeah, just like my Mam." Steve sounded wistful.

"Gee" Sarah rolled her eyes "just what every woman wants to hear. Being compared to someone's mother."

Bucky couldn't help himself, he chuckled.

Steve looked between his best friend and Sarah, he had tried so hard for the last couple of days, and she got him to chuckle with her first sentence.

"Alright, gentlemen. Follow me." Sarah started to lead them back to the house.

"It's not much." She said once they entered "but i think it has everything you need for the time being."

Sarah pointed out the bathroom and one of the bedrooms where she had prepared some leftover clothes from her brother and cousins.

Steve had already started healing so he gave Bucky first slot in the bathroom and he joined Sarah sitting on the stairs.

"You want to tell me what happened?"

"You know what happened." Steve shot back, his head leaning against the balustrade.

"Actually I don't, not really. I've been in Africa and spend most of the last 4 days in airplanes. Catch me up."

So, Steve started to explain, the accords, the UN, how everything happened all at once. Peggy dying, him and Nat not seeing eye to eye. The UN, getting arrested, freeing Bucky. The fight at the airport, Natasha letting them go.

Sarah hasn't interrupted but now it burst out of her. "You left her there?"

Steve shrugged, it didn't make any sense to him either. Why did he leave her. He couldn't come up with an answer, so he continues with his story, tried to explain Zemo and the fight with Tony.

"It's such a mess" he sighs once he finished . Sarah couldn't help but agree, before she could put her thoughts into words, the door behind her opens:

"This mess is mine."

Steve and Sarah turned around, Bucky was standing above them on the landing, freshly showered and wrapped only in a towel.

Sarah stares, she couldn't help herself. He was something to look at, his hair hang wet down his face and that towel didn't hide his stature, the burns and missing arm somehow just added to this.

"Shower is free, Punk." Bucky gestured behind him.

Steve stood up and helped Sarah getting up to.

"Do you have any clothes for us?" Steve enquires. Effectively getting Sarah out of her stupor.

"Sure, sure." She lead them over to her bedroom and pointed to the clothes she laid out "Not sure what will fit though."

Steve waved her off and grabbed some on his way to the bathroom.

—-

Bucky startled, steve couldn't leave him alone with her. The last time he was alone with a woman was over 70 years ago.

"Sergeant Barnes." She looked at him with a small smile. "How about you let me look at those burns."

"Are you Doctor, Sarah?"

"Nope, but I patched up Natasha more times than I'd like to count."

"So, you're also an Avenger?" Sarah laughed. She had a funny laugh, not smokey or like bells, as the girls used to have, but one that want to make you laugh with her.

'What was wrong with him. Why did he notice this stuff?' He berated himself and almost missed her answer.

"I don't have the skill set for being an avenger. Not good at fighting, spying or having superpowers, so I don't fit the profile."

"Then how do you know Steve?"

"Natasha, she's one of my best friends and she introduced me to Steve."

"And Steve can just call you up and you risk getting arrested to help him?"

"Yep and get me to help you, too." Sarah pushes him down on the bed and opened the arnica relief gel.

"Unbelievable, I vaguely remember a time when the Punk couldn't talk to women and now he has three who risk everything to help him."

"He's a good guy, those are a rare breed in this world."

"A good guy..hmm? You fancy those." What the fuck was he doing? Is he flirting? He made her laugh again, Bucky couldn't help but smile.

"Nah, Steve and I'd bore each other to death. Also I think he and someone else are much better suited."

Bucky smiles, he definitely didn't used to be boring back in the day.

"Yeah, I mean he laid a massive kiss on her after she helped us."

"What! Steve and Nat kissed?!" Of course those two idiots pick the worst timing.

"Nat is that the blonde one?"

Blonde, did she colour her hair again?

"She helped you escape at the hangar, she's usually a red head, but maybe she changed..."

"No, long blonde hair. Gave us back our gear." Bucky shrugged, what was the big deal.

"He kissed Sharon!" Sarah exclaimed "What an idiot!"

"He is a Punk." Bucky responded.

"Sergeant, could you move a little bit. I can't reach your shoulder properly."

"Please call me Bucky...everyone calls me Bucky."

"No."

"No?"

"No" she smiles at him "Bucky doesn't even sound like a name, I veto that one."

Sarah winked at him before putting tape over his shoulder wound.

"You veto?" Bucky shook his head. He wasn't used to soft touches and people disagreeing with him anymore.

"Yeah, do you have any other suggestions?"

She's asking for his opinion? He couldn't remember when that happened the last time.

"James."

Sarah cocked her head at him, while smoothing over the tape.

"My first name, no one has called me James in a very long time."

"James, it is then." Sarah smiled "You are all set, James."

"Sarah, I think we have incoming!" Steve shouted from downstairs. The redhead sat back on her heels before pushing up, a hand stopped her.

"Maybe you should let us check that out." Bucky looked at her "it might be hostile." "Oh it's definitely hostile."

"Then let us deal..."

"I called my brother, James. Someone needs to fix your jet and he is always hostile when I have a guy hiding in my bedroom." Sarah stood up leaving a dumbfounded Bucky sitting on the bed.

"And your brother can fix something like that."

"Yep, he works for Stark Industries."

"What...he will have told..."

"and that's the reason he doesn't know you are here." Sarah said over her shoulder before heading downstairs.

He snorted out a laugh "Bucky Barnes even after 70 years still hiding in a gals bedroom so her brother doesn't beat him up."

2 minutes later Steve joined him in the bedroom.

"Do you think we can trust him?"

"We can trust her."

"Look at you punk...one red head in every country to save your ass."

"To save our ass...and Sarah is like a sister."

"But not the other redhead from the airport?" Steve mouth tightened at the mention of Natasha. His thoughts swirled around her while they both watched Sarah greet her brother and steer him to the jet.

"If she means..."

"Natasha."

"If Natasha means so much to you, why kiss the blonde?"

"It's complicated."

—-

"Do I want to know why you have a stark jet parked in our garden?" Her brother looked at her expectantly.

"Possible deniability is everything." Sarah leaned against the quinjet watching her brother fiddle around with some flaps and buttons.

"Fuck, Sarah. Did you even watch the news since you came back."

"I read some papers." Sarah waved her hand dismissively.

"This is serious, if they're here...you are harbouring war criminals."

"I don't harbour anyone, I have some friends visiting." Her brother let out a sigh. "if memories serves me well they were prisoners of war, one of them until recently. So no I don't harbour criminals."

Max growled something under his breath that she didn't quite catch, but Sarah could imagine what he wanted to say. You are crazy, this is dangerous, you are sabotaging your life. But she couldn't help herself. Steve was her friend and James he...he deserved help more than anyone else and if she could swart Ross in the same breath, hell yes she would do it.

"Ok, I fixed the cloaking device." Max announced after some time "but it will take me a bit longer to fix the stabiliser."

"How long?"

"Hard to say maybe an hour or so."

"Ok, I'm gonna go inside." She gestures to the house behind her.

"Sarah, I'll be coming in to wash my hands when I'm done. And the old rule applies, I don't know what I can't see or hear."

"Thank you, Max!" She pressed a kiss on his cheek.

"You are the best brother."

"I'm your only brother."

"Peter and Nils will be so gutted to hear you stripped them of their honorary brother title."

"Go inside, Sarah and you better hide yourself somewhere, if this comes crashing down. Possible deniability is everything." He threw her words back at her. Sarah nodded, and moved back towards the house.

"Steve it's me!" She shouted before making her way upstairs. "Jet is almost fixed, only an hour or so and you can leave."

"Thank you!" Steve tried to pulled her into a hug. Sarah waved him off and wiggles out of his grasp.

"Let me make you something to eat, you must be starving and my brother will definitely demand some sort of payment from me."

"Sarah...your brother?" Bucky shrugged on a jumper she gave him earlier on.

"Doesn't know what he can't see or hear." Bucky nodded and followed the two of them downstairs in the kitchen.

"Sorry i don't have much here, but i think there'll be enough to scramble up some pasta."

"Anything we can do to help?" Bucky asked her.

"Just sit down, I think I can manage some pasta." She pointed to a wooden dining area for 6 in the corner, Bucky sat down heavily on a chair, the window and door always in his view. Steve stood in the middle of the kitchen and wrung his hands.

"Sarah..."

"Steve, please don't." She shook her head at him while chopping up some onions and garlic.

"I just feel that you are mad at me...we shouldn't have come here. I'm so sorry."

"Of course I'm fucking mad at you, Steve." Sarah bit out.

Bucky swivels around, her tone was icy. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to come here after all, they put her in danger and definitely some legal trouble.

"Not that you came here or asked for my help." She looked at Bucky, man could she read his thoughts. "I would have been disappointed if you wouldn't have called."

"Then what..."

"I'm pissed at you that you came alone." She stirred the sauce with extreme force that it splashed a little on the stove. "You came without Natasha."

"I...I..."

"You promised me you always had her back and then you leave her behind." Sarah had talked herself into a rant "what do you think is going to happen to her now? She helped you escape. Do you think they will just leave her in peace? No...they are gonna hunt her down. You of all people should have a clue how vicious Ross can be." "Natasha knows what to do."

"Obviously not because I can't reach her!" The timer beeped on the pasta and the redhead drained it in the sink before dishing both onto two plates.

"I thought you would be with, have her back..that's what you said to me. Now sit down and eat." Steve sighed but sat down on the chair opposite Bucky.

Suddenly his head surged forward, Sarah had slapped him on the back of this head: "And what the fuck where you thinking kissing that blonde witch?" Bucky snorted in his pasta.

"I asked the punk the same thing."

"Geez!" Steve held his hands up in surrender "how do you even know about this?" Bucky suddenly seemed very interested in his plate.

"I don't want to talk about it."

Sarah sat on the bench with her arms crossed "hmph"

"I'll find Natasha and bring her to safety."

"Nat doesn't need saving. She needs you. She just lost everything...and tell her to use her fucking phone. Some people are worried." Sarah held back some tears, not being able to contact Nat freaks her out. It's never good when the black widow disappears. "I promise." Steve fixed Sarah with his eyes.

The guys ate in silence and Sarah started to do the dishes when the front dooropened. Bucky jumped up in front of Sarah and his hand went straight away to his gun.

"It's just my brother going to clean up."

Both super soldiers let out a breath. Bucky put his gun away again, but didn't sit down.

"Sarah! I'm gonna shower and the jet is fixed." Footsteps could be heard going up the stairs.

"So, I guess that means you should go."

The three of them made their way across the huge garden towards the jet.

"I can never thank you enough Sarah."

"You are my friend, Steve. Even if I'm mad at you."

Sarah hugged the captain before turning to Bucky "it's been a pleasure, Seargant Barnes." She held her hand out to shake his again and Bucky grasped it tightly.

"The pleasure was all mine. Maybe we can see each other again, when..."

"When you are not a war criminal with an international kill warrant on your head?" Sarah snarked.

"Yes, exactly then."

"That would be wonderful."

"Steve do please bring this guy around more. At least he has some manners."

"Yeah Steve, at least my manners don't include leaving a dame behind to clean up my mess."

"You two, stop it!" Steve climbed into the jet.

"Good luck, James!" With that Sarah turned around and started to walk the 5 minutes back to the house.

In that moment a window opened in the house.

"Sarah!"

"Fuck!"

Cars could be heard racing up the hill and the distinct sound of guns getting readied. Sarah looked startled, how did they find them. Steve and Bucky exchanged a look and with a nod Bucky was running towards Sarah, the stump of his metal arm out, ready to deflect any bullets.

"Come on, doll!" He shouted while grabbing Sarah's arm. The two of them made a dash for the house, in that moment a shot was fired. Bucky turned his metal stump and the bullet bounced of it.

Sarah let out a scream, "it's ok, nothing happened. I've got you." He looked down at the woman running with him and then back up were the shot had come from. Several humvies came into view, machine guns starting to point at them and the jet.

"I'm sorry." Sarah looked up at him 'What was he sorry about?'

But she was already slung over his right shoulder and she could feel him speed up.

Her brother had opened the door and Bucky pushed her in his arms "When they interrogate you, we forced you we barged in here at gun point and forced you to help us."

Max nodded but Sarah looked like she wanted to argue with him.

Bucky turned around and saw that Steve had started the jet and it was now hovering closer to the house with the landing gear still open.

"Need to dash! But you are a one of a kind." And with that he grasped her face in his hands and slanted his lips over hers. The kiss was over before Sarah could properly register it and Bucky Barnes was running back across the yard and jumping on the jet before Steve activated the cloaking device and it disappeared from their view.

Bucky looked out of the window and saw as Sarah and her brother Max were put into the humvies.

"Looks like I am not the only one leaving a Dame to clean up a mess." Steve said to him.

"Shut up, punk!" Bucky took a deep breath, he couldn't believe it, he kissed her.

His first kiss in 70 years, he didn't know what got into him, she had looked up at him with an emotion in her eyes that he couldn't quite place. It was a rollercoaster day, the fight at the airport and Siberia, finding refuge at Sarah's, soft touches that cleaned his wounds, smiles, so much blood and warmth at the same time, it was confusing. But that look in her eyes before he swung her over his shoulder, it stirred something in him.

"Where are we off to now?" He plopped down next to Steve.

"Wakanda. King T'Challa offered us help."

Help...it seems like it's coming from all the unexpected places these days.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **So this chapter was a bitch...it just wouldn't let me write it. I seriously considered docking its allowance and involving a curfew but it just wouldn't let itself write.  
But finally here it is, two months in the making and still not as perfect as I would like, but I still hope you are enjoying it.  
Let me know through your reviews!

**Chapter 6**

Being violently shoved in a dark jeep brought back memories Sarah would have rather not revisited. The look in Max' eyes when they shoved him into a separate car to her. 'The I told you so' and brotherly worry etched all over his face, didn't help to calm her fears at all.

"Can you tell me where you're taking me?" the young woman enquired, while trying to get more comfortable with the handcuffs on her wrists.  
"To a secure location."  
"A secure location, where?"  
"You are not privy to that information."  
Sarah ground her teeth, of course she wasn't.  
"I'm a German citizen, you are not allowed to extradite me to another country. My right is to face court or questioning in Germany and under German law."  
"Ms Enders, you were harbouring war criminals. What we are allowed to do or not has nothing to do with legalities anymore."  
She sat back with a huff, this was getting nowhere. Once the adrenaline left her body, she had time to register the men that arrested her. They were wearing tac gear and black ski masks. Sarah closed her eyes trying to breath through the images that these guys brought up in front of her closed eyes.  
The man next to her shook her arm slightly "Are you ok?"  
She nodded "Yeah, I just need to breath through it."  
"Panic attacks are a bitch." His North German accent sounded soothing "You might want to settle in, we will be driving for a while."  
Divulging that bit of information got him a dirty look from the driver.  
He patted her arm again and shot a defying look to the driver through the rear view mirror.

* * *

Exiting the vehicle with her hands bound behind her proved more difficult than she thought, the slippery floor of the parking garage not helping her at all. Luckily the friendly special ops guy steadied her by the elbow before she face planted onto the floor.  
The team guided her down several hallways before stopping in front of a steel metal door.

The door closed behind her loudly and Sarah stood in a bleak room, a table some chairs, no windows.  
'Great! Really well done there. What do you think you can achieve from here.' The disapproving voice in her head sounded like Nat. Exactly what she needed now a mental scolding from her currently MIA best friend.

Taking a breath, she sat down in the chair farthest away from the door.  
'Think, Enders, think. It's not like they have much, they saw the quinjet take off, they saw me with James. What else...what else? Did they manage to listen into her and Steve's phone call?'  
She shook her head 'That couldn't be...Nat made sure the line was secure, otherwise she wouldn't have given her that phone.' Her head fell onto the table with a thud 'Max...what happened with Max? Where had they brought him?'  
Eyes started to blur 'Pull yourself together! Don't show them any fear.'

Sarah didn't know for how long she was sitting there, she had forgotten put on her watch before boarding the flight. Hell forget what time it was she couldn't remember the last time she slept. It must have been somewhere over Africa for a couple of hours.

Finally the door opened, a blonde man stepped inside the room holding a couple of folders and an old school voice recorded in his hand.  
"Miss Enders..."  
"Not to be rude, but I'd really need to use the bathroom, before we start this."

She must have looked desperate, as his eyes softened slightly and he leaned towards the hallway "Agent Carter, could you accompany Miss Enders to the bathroom?"  
Sarah hesitated before following Sharon Carter out of the room 'Of all the agents...'

"You need to leave the door open." Sharon leaned against the sink.

"Wow, the CIA really doesn't approve of privacy." Sarah mumbled.  
She was washing her hands when Sharon leaned towards turning up the water "Do you know where they are?" Sarah stared at her 'did she really think she'd tell her?' So she just shook her head.  
"Is Steve...are they alright?" Sharon looked almost pleading.  
Sarah nodded softly.  
"Thank you." Sharon squeezed her arm gently.

Back in the room the agent was waiting for them both.  
"Better?"  
"Thank you."  
"Please take a seat Miss Enders." He indicated on a chair opposite of him.  
"My name is Agent Ross."  
"Any relations to the Defense Secretary?" Sarah enquired.  
Agent Ross bristled slightly at her interruption, but answered nonetheless "None."  
He placed an old style dictaphone on the table and pressed play.  
"This is Agent Ross, interviewing Sarah Luise Enders on the charges of harbouring and aiding fugitives in her home."  
Sarah swallowed 'Charges….that really didn't sound good. Max and Natasha were so going to kill her.'  
"For the record, it is the 11th October, it is 3am and the interview is taking place in a secure CIA facility in Berlin."

Sarah rammed her finger nails into her arm, she has been awake more than 24hrs, which included a 12 hour flight, 3 car drive from the airport, dealing with the shit that Steve dropped at her door step and then being detained and driven half way through Germany.

She was tired, so damn tired, but she needed to stay alert.

"You have been detained, Miss Enders on the suspicion of aiding and abiding wanted criminals and fugitives Steven Rogers and James Barnes."  
Sarah chuckled, the sleep deprivation must made her loopy "Have you really just called Captain America a criminal?"  
"He has broke the law, the accords. That makes him a criminal." Agent Ross folded his hands on the table and leaned forward, letting his words sink in.  
Sarah shook her head, she had no clue what to say.

A memory popped in her head, a conversation she had with Nat ages ago. 'The secret of not incriminating yourself is drawing out what they know. Don't give them anything they haven't given you. Let them prove to you what they know, this way you'll always have the upper hand.'

"Why don't we start at the beginning, Miss Enders." Agent Ross started to sort through some papers in front of him "How did Steven Rogers contact you?"  
Bearing her memories in mind, Sarah asked "What do you mean he contacted me?"  
"Are you saying he didn't?"  
"Do you have evidence that he did?"  
Agent Ross grind his teeth before continuing "Ok, when did Mr. Rogers contact you?"  
"Again, do you have evidence that he did contact me at all?"  
"How else would he know where to land that jet."  
Then it hit you, they didn't know that Steve was there. They'd seen you with James, but not with the Steve.  
"How long were they with you?"  
"Who?"  
"Steven Rogers and James Barnes."  
"I don't know, how long Mr Barnes was there."  
"But you do know how long Mr Rogers stayed with you?"  
"No, was he even there?"  
"What?" Agent Ross was confused, what was this girl getting at?  
"You haven't shown me one piece of evidence that places Mr Rogers at the house."  
Sharon Carter held in a laugh, they had definitely underestimated her.  
"Who else would be there?"  
"I don't know why, don't you tell me?" Sarah shrugged.  
"Miss Enders, don't you realise what trouble you're in? You have aided and abided criminals, involved your brother in your crimes and now you are not cooperating with law enforcement."  
"Well, you aren't law enforcement Agent Ross."  
"Excuse me?"  
"You are CIA. You are a spy, not law enforcement, you don't have any criminal jurisdiction."  
Sharon was mildly impressed, the woman had spunk but you could see Romanoffs finger prints all over her testimony.

The back and forth continued for a while, until a knock interrupted them. A young agent handing Sharon a file, she read the summary quickly, before passing it onto Ross.  
The older agent sighed.  
"King T'Challa of Wakanda confirmed that the real bomber of the UN is in custody, and that Mr Barnes is no longer a suspect in that matter."  
Sarah rubbed her eyes "What does that mean?"  
"That you are fucking lucky and half of the charges against you just dropped."  
Sarah let her head fall forward, her hands catching it before she could make contact with the table.  
"Now about Steven Rogers…" Agent Ross started again, but Sharon had enough.  
"Everett." she interrupted him "Miss Enders has been saying for the last 5 hours that she has no recollection of being contacted by Mr Rogers nor that she has seen him. And we quite frankly have no evidence of the opposite."  
In a huff Everett Ross stood up "You are right Agent Carter. Miss Enders you are free to go. But don't fool yourself we will keep an close eye on you."  
"Well that shouldn't be any difference to now, everyone knows the Red Cross hives with CIA spies." Sarah stood up as well.  
"I will escort you upstairs." Agent Carter motioned for Sarah to follow her.  
"Thank you." Sarah whispered to Sharon. "It's ok. Everett is like a dog with a bone once he gets stuck in a case."  
Sarah yawned. "When was the last time you slept?"  
"I lost track of time, at least over 36hrs ago."  
"I will organise you some transport back to your place."  
"Thanks. Do you know where my brother is?"  
"He's waiting for you in the lobby."

Sharon disappeared to arrange her a car and Sarah stepped in the lobby where her brother and Tony Stark were waiting for her.  
"You alright?" Max was frantic. "I'm fine. and you?" "Possible deniability is everything, and Tony helped." Max smirked before drawing his sister in for a hug.  
"As touching as this all is." Tony interrupted the family reunion "I hope you know how fucking idiotic this whole thing was, getting involved in this shit, in our shit."  
"He asked for my help." Sarah said quietly.  
"Are you turning into one of his fangirls as well, Mini Max?" his mouth showed his disdain at the thought.

"Hey." she slapped Tony's shoulder "I told him what for an idiot he is, but he's still my friend."  
"You are definitely too nice for this world."

* * *

Natasha sighed, the small town diner was empty except for two other customers sitting at the counter.  
She fiddled with the phone in her hand, she knew she couldn't call anyone, but just the feeling of the phone in her hand gave her a connection to her lost friends.

She hadn't felt this lonely in a long time, the last time was right before she met Clint in her time as a free agent after she fled the KGB and Red Room.  
Everyone was in the wind, or somewhere worse, she could only imagine where they shipped off her friends after the fight at the airport, the Raft.  
Tony had accused her of being a double agent, and that stung more than she cared to admit. As if she hadn't tried to keep her family together that he and Steve seemed intent to rip apart. She just tried to keep them together.

Leaving some money on the table, she left the diner and got into a standard run of the mile pick up. Oh did she miss her Corvette already.  
Speeding down the highway, doubts started to seep back into her mind again.

Did she really do enough?

Half of her family imprisoned, a bounty on Steve's and her heads. Rhodey severely injured and Tony still feeling as guilty and ripped up inside as he did after Sokovia.  
She slipped her sunglasses on and readjusted her wig - no time for a proper hair dye job yet.  
She had time for that afterwards, first she had a job to do.

Taking several back roads, backing onto herself twice it took her longer than usual before she pulled into dirt road leading to the farm.  
Everything took a back seat - she had a mission to fulfil, bring Laura and the kids to safety.


	7. Interlude

A little look into Steve's thoughts, after the mess that is Civil War. Written while listening to Unwell by Matchbox Twenty.

I hope you enjoy this tiny piece. Thank you all for your support in kudos and comments. Can't wait to hear from you.

Staring out the window, Wakanda always proved a sight to be hold even after 6 weeks or more of being his hiding spot.

Steve stood still as he followed the monkeys in front of the window leaping from one tree to another. his mind still in turmoil, it hasn't calmed down since the Peggy's funeral.

What was left of his life? Nothing, absolutely nothing.  
He had freed his friends from the Raft, Clint had disappeared almost instantly taking Scott along and to try to reunite with their families. Sam and Wanda had come with him to Wakanda but the young witch got more restless every day, being confided even if it was a palace did not agree with her.  
Bucky was still in Cyro, and Steve couldn't bring himself to visit him there. Who would have thought, Captain America was a coward indeed.

But the one he needed to hear from, the one he yearned to see, nothing but silence.

There had been no sign of Natasha since the airport, not even Clint could tell him where she would be.

"Look man, it's Natasha. She knew she had to disappear after T'Challa reported her to Ross, no-one will find her unless she is ready to be found."

She had brought Laura and the kids to safety though, it was her last known location. That was 6 weeks ago.

King T'Challa had apologised profusely for his intervention, but Steve couldn't be mad at him. He had only done what he thought was right, not when the same train of thought on his part had landed them in this mess.

And then the King gave him something to hold onto "Captain Rogers, there is a public bounty on your and Miss Romanoff's head. Do you really think if she had been captured that they wouldn't announce it, that they wouldn't celebrate the achievement of capturing the Black Widow?"

Steve held onto that thought, if he was being honest it was the only thing that kept him going at the moment. Leaving her behind like this wasn't the plan. Everything that happened in that one week, made him snap. Bucky, the Accords, and then Peggy's death. It was a never ending week of bad news, where he couldn't catch a breath and every time he tried to slow down, trying to think - something else blew up in his face, just like the UN building in Vienna.


	8. Chapter 7

Hello lovelies,

I'm back!

I hope you are all keeping well, safe and sane in these crazy times.

Please enjoy this slice ofOpposites Attract.

malen'kiy means little one in Russian, at least that's what google translate says. Who can guess which Criminal Minds episode I talk about?

I can't wait to hear you feedback! Smoke signals, morse code, comments or kudos are all gladly taken.

Enjoy xx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sitting on Maria's sofa, Natasha waits for her new hair colour to develop. Netflix playing in the background while she idly flips through the different series, never quite settling on anything.

Natasha couldn't remember the last she just sat somewhere. It must have been back at the compound. Natasha misses her old Nokia phone, it was for all she knew still on a quinjet somewhere, somewhere, wherever Steve was.

Steve...she misses Steve. His steadfastness, his can -do - attitude...his smile. Natasha shaking her head angrily at herself 'Don't go there Romanoff, it won't help you.'

It had taken her over a week to make the journey to Paris. Natasha stayed with Laura and the kids, until Clint got word that someone had gotten him out. Natasha would bet all her Swiss bank accounts, that needed to thank a specific 'Man with a plan' for this.

Leaving them was never a question for her, she owed it to Clint to keep his family safe.

Watching Laura handling the kids trying to give them some sort of schedule and normalcy seems surreal to her, but was oddly soothing to her frazzled mind.

The quietness of Clint's safe house, the evenings with Laura on the sofa, cuddles with the kids balanced her in a way she wouldn't have thought possible.

Leaving them behind after Clint had send an encrypted message was one of the hardest things she ever did, but she needed to move.

A bounty was still on her head after all.

She had jumped countries quickly staying no longer, than it took her to make it to the next border. Natasha moved south from the US into Mexico and onto Cuba. Here an old contact managed to smuggle her into Europe.

Europe was always easy, the Schengen Agreement allowing free movement across several countries without a passport check, a fugitives dream.

Maria had been a godsend and Natasha let out an unusual display of emotion when her friend met her at the port in Lisbon. Now she was safely ensconced in Maria's Parisian flat.

Natasha hadn't dared to call Sarah, for all she knew Tony had given the government all her officially and unofficially known contacts. She would not drag her friend into this.

The back of her neck prickled, she could feel another presence in the flat. A quick glance at her watch, it was too early for Maria to be home. Taking a breath she relaxes her posture, trying to calculate the distance to the window and feeling for the knife stuck in the waistband of her yoga pants. She flips over the back of the couch when the footsteps come closer, knife poised of the collarbone of the intruder.

"Hey, it's just me." Maria holds up her hands "you're getting paranoid, Tasha."

Pushing out a forced breath, Natasha smirks "Say something next time."

"When I enter my own flat?"

Natasha flips back onto the sofa "if you're home earlier than usual, then yes!"

"I had a visitor today." Maria's heels clicked on the wooden floor as she makes her way to her bar cart, pouring two glasses of vodka.

Natasha raises an eyebrow "it's not even five yet."

"It's five o'clock somewhere in the world." Maria sits down on the sofa "you might need it, once you read this." Handing Natasha an unmarked file.

Nat looks at her friend carefully, befor opening the file.

No expression crosses over her face, but Natasha downs the vodka after reading the first two lines.

Maria was ready with the bottle for a refill, Natasha would need it. Curling one leg underneath her Natasha disregards the file and downs her fourth glass of vodka.

"Where did you get this."

"Someone from Berlin dropped it off today."

"Carter."

Maria nods.

"Is she still here?"

"You want to talk to her?" Of course she would, Maria should have taken that bet with Carter earlier on, she'd be €100 richer by now.

"Want to, not really. Need to, yes."

—-—

"Getting into the habit on bringing home files, Maria?" Natasha stands in her friends kitchen trying to reach the top of Maria's cupboard with a wet cloth.

"I'm going to run out of apartment for you to clean."

"Sarcasm is a poor woman's wit." Natasha hops down the chair gracefully before snatching the file out of Maria's hands.

"I've brought you some work so I don't smother you in your sleep."

"Well, you can try but you'd never succeed!" Natasha singsongs while perusing the details.

"You trying to ease me in?" She asks after a second. The mission was pure recon, a rookie could handle this.

"Circumstances have changed a bit." The two women share a look, before Maria continues "You don't have a team anymore."

—-—

Natasha tries to breath, the pain on her side making it harder by the minute. This mission, her 6th on her own had been a bust. These idiots overpowered her on her way out. Maria would never let her live this down, she had warned her not to go, the intel too sketchy, too many variables she couldn't control on her own.

Natasha went anyway, whatelse was she supposed to do? Continue to sit on Maria's sofa and clean her apartment until the world needed her again?

She needed to do this, she needed to help, she had red in her ledger and the world was one good person down thanks to her and the others.

After some gentle persuasion from Maria through various back channels the Red Cross had Sarah on a precautionary lockdown. Natasha had thrown a fit after Sharon told her that Secretary Ross had ordered 24/7 CIA surveillance on her friend, hoping Sarah would lead them to the wanted Avengers. She wanted her protected and safe, and that means she stays at home until they can clean this up.

She knew Sarah would rail against her once she figures it out, but she couldn't help herself.

She analysed each assignment with Sarah in mind; had refused some - had extended some parameters, trying to make the world a better place, while Sarah was on hiatus. Natasha hoped that would pacify her friend once this whole mess was over.

Not like Sarah kept quiet in her forced lockdown, a couple of political position paper had popped up, outlining the need of pardoning the Avengers, even now she still couldn't keep her mouth shut, Natasha grumbles in her mind.

Slinking further down in the cave Natasha had staked out as her hiding spot, she activates the emergency evac app on her phone.

'This is a one off, Nat.' Maria's warning rings in her head.

Natasha thinks back to the last time she needed such a help, it must have been when she was on the run with Steve, he had carried her out of the destroyed bunker, the way the sun lit his face, a small smile on his face as he drove the borrowed car.

'Is he feeling this lonely, too?'

It's the first time since New York, that she was running missions on her own, without him.

It felt like dancing without her dance partner. Every time she suits up, she expects to see him, waiting for her, his shield on his back, ready for another dance.

She misses him, not only in battle but in front of the tv, squabbling over take out and movies.

Is it too much to ask, that she wants it back? Is he thinking about her? Or had he washed his hands of her, the double agent, just as Tony had?

The sun starts to come up, bathing her surroundings in a deep orange.

Suddenly she hears some noise, people are approaching. Sighing Natasha readies her Glocks, she might need to shoot her way out.

Crouching down she makes her way towards the cave entrance, her skills kicking in, Natasha tries to count how many people are outside, she'd wager 3 maybe 4.

The team outside isn't speaking Arabic, that much Natasha is able to discern, it isn't English either, that means they aren't belonging to the other group.

"Agent Romanoff?" The whisper creates a small echo in the cave and Natasha freezes. They speak English all of a sudden, but a slight African accent traces their vocals. A male voice clearing their throat and then "Integrity!"

Natasha grits her teeth, 'Damn Maria for being so obsessed with Criminal Minds.'

"Blackbird." She answers loudly, slowly she backs her way out of the cave.

Her hand comes up out of instinct, shielding her eyes from the bright sunlight, after the dark cave, she makes out three silhouettes.

"It's good to see you, Miss Romanoff." Now she sees them properly.

"It's good to see you too, your majesty." Natasha crosses her arms in the Wakandan greeting.

The king smiles and he and his two companions reciprocate in kind. Natasha recognises one of the women as Okoye, the other one was unfamiliar but also bore the arms of the Dora Milaje.

Okoye greets Natasha with a stern face but a barely hidden smile, before introducing her to Unathi, a new recruit Okoye explains.

"How do you feel about spending some time in Wakanda, Miss Romanoff?"

"Your Majesty?" Natasha falls into step with him.

"A place where you can recuperate." He had clocked her deliberate movements the moment she stepped out of that cave. "And maybe meet some old friends?" The king grins at her, as he helps her settle down in the comfy jet seat. Defying all protocol, Natasha grabs T'Challa's hand and squeezes it.

"Thank you." Natasha tries to convey her thanks not only for her rescue, but for her friends as well.

"It was the least I could do."

—-—

Seeing Wakanda for the first time, it takes Natasha's breath away. The country is marvellous, unlike anything she's ever seen. A herd of zebras chases down below them. "It never gets old." Okoye comments at Natasha's gasp once the city of Birnin Zana comes into view.

"Yeah."

The jet hovers onto the landing pad of the palace and the head of the Dora Milaje guides Natasha of the plane.

A little welcoming committee was awaiting the rescue party, comprising of the Queen Mother and some of the ministers of Wakanda. Before Natasha is able to greet the Queen Ramonda, a flash of red barrels through the group and towards Natasha, letting out something between a sob and shriek.

The redhead can just about brace herself for the impact, as she's enveloped in a massive hug.

The group of Wakandan's share a soft smile as they observe the scene.

Holding back a groan, Natasha draws Wanda in "its alright, malen'kiy, it's alright."

She whispers while stroking the young woman's hair. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry for everything that happened." Hiding her face in Wanda's curls, Natasha takes in a shuttering breath. Her mind suddenly full of imagines of what happened to Wanda since the fight at the airport. "Oh malen'kiy, I never intended for this to happen. I hope you can forgive me one day."

Wanda draws back in shock, she hadn't meant to share like this, hadn't lost control over powers since she killed one of the guards.

Natasha shifts carefully, the throbbing in her rips not being aided by Wanda's crushing hug.

"I'm sorry!"

"You have nothing to be sorry for!" Natasha frames Wanda's face. "What happened is not you fault at all. What happened to you, should have never happened. I'm sorry."

"You're forgiven." Wanda smiles and kisses Natasha cheek.

"As touching as this all is, but what am I, yesterday's bread?" Another familiar voice makes itself heard. Natasha smiles gratefully, Sam always knows when to disperse the attention.

"One second, bird man. Need to greet the important people first." Natasha sasses right back and bowed before the Queen Mother.

"Your highness."

"Miss Romanoff, welcome to Wakanda."

"Thank you! I appreciate all your help and hospitality."

"It's our pleasure." Queen Ramonda smiles softly "Now, I will leave you in the capable hands of your friends to show you around, but if you join me for a private drink before tonight?"

"Of course, your highness." Natasha smiles in return, the request phrased as a question only to be polite.

"Wanda, please do show Miss Romanoff to the infirmary, as well." With that the Queen turns to her son "T'Challa accompany me to my quarters."

The king extending his elbow to his mother and guides her down the landing pad, but not before he turns around quickly pulling a face to the Avengers.

"He might be the king, but she's the boss." Okoye comments before following the entourage inside.

"It's good to see you, Widow." Sam kisses her cheek in greeting.

"Yeah." Natasha says softly, only now it becomes clear to her that Steve is not here to greet her.

"He's with Bucky." Sam supplies "he didn't know you were coming."

"The Princess thinks she achieved a breakthrough with the triggers." Wanda continues, while they slowly make their way through the palace. Despite her tiredness Natasha tracks their route, trying to memories the layout of the palace.

"So, Bucky is..."

"Still in cyro, but Shuri hopes to wake him up once the triggers are removed."

"And Steve is with him?"

"Most of the time, but the Princess kicks him out once a while, says she can only stand his moping for so long." Wanda giggles.

Natasha furrows her brows, why the hell would Steve be moping.

Wanda and Sam share a knowing smirk, those two - fucking clueless.

Sam opens the door to their suite.

"Home sweet home!"

One side of the room was full glass, allowing magnificent views over the palace garden. A comfortable sofa and arm chairs grouped in front of it, taking up most of the space, while a small Kitchenette and dining room table took up the other side.

Wanda and Sam took of their shoes before stepping further into the room.

"Our rooms are over here." Wanda guides Natasha to a small archway that lead to a hallway with two more doors.

"This is yours. I'm just next door." Wanda opens the door to Natasha's room. The bed prominent in the middle, large window panes offering the same view as the living room. "Bath and closet are through here."

"Thanks."

Wanda hugs Natasha once more "I'm so glad you're here."

"Me too."

Natasha steps into the bathroom and almost cries of happiness, this was a dream come true, a couple of tears make it down her face when she spots the closet, with clothes in her size.

—-—

Once again clean and in comfortable clothes, Natasha steps back out into the living room, when she hears raised voices, belonging to Sam and Steve. She could wager a guess what they are arguing about, her.

Well Steve was not going to argue about her, he was going to argue with her.

—-—

"Hey soldier." her soft voice vibrated through the otherwise empty room.

"Nat!" Steve pushes her name through his teeth like it causes him actual pain.

He got up from the settee and only then notices that Sam and Wanda had left the suite. He drinks her in, her hair changed once more, but otherwise she was the same. At least that's what he likes to think.

Steve knew, he knew that no one could be the same after their experiences. He saw it in Wanda every time her powers seem to take over, everytime Sam startles at loud sounds, the far away look he gets when holidays or family are mentioned.

Natasha moves slowly into the room, her body still hurts when she moved too quickly and then she found herself in Steve's bone crushing hug. The spy tried not to wince too much, as his arms snaked around her sides pressing into her tender ribs.

"How did you get here?" Steve had let her go after one too many Mississippis's and now regarded her warily. The last time Natasha and T'Challa where together, the redhead electrocuted the king with a Widow Bite.

"Well your gracious host has extended the invitation to me and I felt like a change of scenery, so I thought why not? If I am on forced vacation at least do it properly in Wakanda." Natasha shrugged lightly. 'Oh dammit, even that hurts.'

"Forced Vacation? Forced Vacation? That's what you call being a fugitive in over 190 countries?" Steve was flabbergasted, how could she take this so lightly?

"Steve. Do you honestly think I've been on vacation?"

He shakes his head, of course not, Natasha had never take a vacation as long as he'd known her.

"What have you been up to?"

"Just some little ops here and there. Maria's been organising it."

"You were at Maria's?"

"It took me a while to get there. She's in Paris now, but yeah, she's been getting me some missions. Was getting tired of me cleaning her flat."

Steve snorts, he'd pay some money to see that. Natasha never cleaned. "You must have been bored."

"Yeah, and needed to make up for some good people no longer to be able to do their job." Nat's voice light, but somehow her tones makes him shiver.

Steve narrows his eyes, who is she talking about?

For a second the two stare at each , just taking each other in.

He had changed, sporting a beard now and the longer hair, the weary look was not new, but intensified.

Steve looks no longer like he has the whole world on his shoulder, but more like the whole sorrow of the world.

Natasha closes her eyes, she would loose all her anger, if she kept looking at him, and she was angry, so angry and mad at him.

Steve couldn't take his eyes of her, she was back, finally back. The last weeks had been horrible, not only the recent events weighing heavy on him, but to go on without Natasha.

She has always been there, his only constant since he had come out of the Ice, since New York.

It has always been her who was there, who helped him navigate the new world, putting things onto perspective. They never disagreed much. Of course yes, on the best food (Thai - Natasha / Burger - Steve), the best Disney movie (Dumbo vs The Lion King), that stuff they'd disagreed plenty but not on the big things.

He'd never thought they'd be on different sides on the Accords.

"Do you want to get into it right now or do you want to wait until after dinner?" Natasha crossed her arms over her chest, her stance defensive.

"What?"

"Do you want to have our fight now or rather later?" Natasha repeated impatiently.

"I didn't think we needed to fight?"

"Really? You don't think you haven't done anything that would warrant us to have a heated exchange of opinions?"

"Didn't we do that at the airport already?"

"Oh no!" Natasha started pacing "I'm not talking about the Accords, and not even about what happened with Tony in Siberia."

"What are you talking about?" He has never seen her like this, she is like lioness stalking in front of him.

Natasha held up a finger, disappearing for one second. She steps back into the living room, a file in her hand.

"What are you talking about." Steve repeats his question and Natasha all but hurls the file at him.

Steve tries to grab it but too late, some of the loose papers inside flatter down on the floor.

'Interview Sarah Enders

Captain Rogers at your house

You've been arrested for housing war criminals.' He could make out on of them.

'Order for 24/7 surveillance' on another.

Steve lifts his eyes meeting Natasha's gaze. The lioness has disappeared, replaced by something else, something softer that scares him more than her anger ever could. It reminds him of the day Wanda had messed with her mind. She felt betrayed by her past and her mind, Nat had explained later on. This time he betrayed her - that thought is like a punch in the gut.

She can no longer be in a room with him, it hurts, it hurts how easily he breaks his promises to her.

She turns around the doorknob already underneath her hand, only one thought in her head 'run...don't let him hurt you again.'

"Natasha." He pleads, don't let her go, don't let let leave again.

"You promised me." With that the door closes behind her.


	9. Chapter 8

Hello lovelies,

I hope you are doing alright in these crazy times.

I'm still in 'exile' at my parents for about 12 weeks now, and feeling a little trapped. Writing Natasha and Sarah seems to be a lot easier at home in London, hence the long delay.

Anyway I just wanted to say thank you for all the love you are showing this little fic!

I can't wait to hear your feedback via smoke signals, carrier pigeon, comments or kudos!

I hope you like this little instalment. Xx

—xx—xx—

Her feet pounding the pathway, a steady beat in her ear, trying to drown out the voices in her head. She pushed herself, further and further hoping to get a way from the memories.

—xx—xx—

"Mum and Dad are fighting." Sam.

Faster - faster - faster

Wanda: "Are you not happy to see him?"

Jump - faster - jump

"Some people know where their loyalties lie." Steve taking a sip of wine. She had wanted to slap that glass out of his hand so badly.

Faster - jump - faster

Her scathing "Yes, and yours definitely did not lie with me."

An almost blow up...a hard breathing Steve, barely holding onto his temper...a scared looking Wanda. Sam trying to dispel the tension "Come on guys, not in front of the kids."

—xx—xx—

The tension drove her into the park, a run to clear her head, trying to regain her equilibrium, but now Natasha was on her 3rd round and she felt just as off kilter as before.

Her world continued to be off balance, when she and Steve are not on the same page.

Natasha weaves through some of the thicker gardens, before the palace came back into view.

Taking a deep breath she pushed herself the last meters. Ignoring the dull pain of her recently fixed ribs Natasha sprinted to the palace gates.

Shuri smiled at her as Natasha made her way through the gates "Miss Romanoff, I see you put my medical skills to the test already."

"I needed to clear my head a bit..." Natasha shrugged and fell into step with the princess.

"I can understand that." Shuri nodded, "Tensions are running a bit high between you and the Captain."

A snort escaped Nat "That's putting it mildly."

"What happened?"

"I thought you know, Princess?"

"Only the headlines, you love him, he loves you, both too stubborn to admit it, on opposing sides during your fight, you still helping him, star crossed lovers...yadda yadda..." Shuri gesticulates with her hands.

Natasha sucked in a breath, Shuri morphed into someone else right in front of her eyes.

"Miss Romanoff?"

The princess sounded worried and just a little bit scared, "Are you ok? Please don't cry...is it because of me? Please my mother will have my hide if I ..."

Surpressing a smile, Natasha shook her head. "It's fine. Really." Her hand squeezing Shuri's shoulder, "My best friend she does the same thing with her hands when she tries to make a point."

"Oh...and your best friend..."

"Currently under 24/7 surveillance because she helped Steve." Natasha ground her teeth, revealing her annoyance, but Shuri couldn't say if it was at Steve or her best friend.

"Ouch, are you mad because she helped him?"

"I know better than to be mad at her for that, she could never not help someone. I'm mad cause he asked for her help, he promised me not to get her involved."

"I understand." Shuri nodded solemnly.

Natasha waited for a bit, it seemed like the princess wanted to elaborate but wasn't sure how.

"When you grow up in isolation, without the every day experiences, finding someone that makes you feel like a person is precious. When that person then gets thrust into a situation where you can't help them or they get hurt..." Shuri trailed off.

"Yeah...you speaking from experience, Princess?"

"As you can imagine Agent Romanoff, I didn't have a normal childhood either, I guess I'm jealous of you and Captain Rogers."

Natasha cocked her head.

"He has Sergeant Barnes and you have your..."

"Sarah." Natasha supplied.

"You have Sarah as your person, that you would go through hell for. I guess...it's nice that you stand by and fight for them."

Shuri's eyes glazed over wistfully and Natasha felt a surge of emotion for the young princess. So advanced in everything, but somehow incredible lonely. It reminded her of herself after she had defected to S.H.I.E.L.D. How lonely she had been, even with Clint and Laura as her adopted family, how she longed for friendship, female companionship.

"Princess, I'm sure you will find your person, but if you are ever in need of a friend I'd be honoured if you consider me one."

Shuri stilled for a second, before she almost tackled Natasha in a hug "Thank you."

A noise made Natasha look up, Steve standing in the door way to their suite.

"Captain Rogers!" Shuri exclaimed and bounced out of Natasha's arms. "Just the man I need."

"Your highness." Steve bowed his head slightly.

"I'm happy to report that I'll be taking Sergeant Barnes out of his beauty sleep tomorrow."

"What?!" Steve gripped the door jamb, his eyes sought Natasha. Confusion, happiness, shame swirling in his blue eyes.

"Yes, let me explain this in a bit more detail." Shuri stepped into the suite and plopped down onto the sofa.

Steve still stood in the door way unable to move, was this really happening? Was he getting Bucky back?

A gentle weight to his back propelled him forward, he took a hesitant step towards Shuri.

He perched onto the sofa, opposite the princess, scooting all the way to the edge. His hands tightly clasped in front of him.

"I'll leave you to it." Natasha stood awkwardly in the room, the feel of Steve's broad back had unsettled her. She was about to turn, when a hand enclosed hers.

Large and calloused...warm...his...

The warmth seeped up her arm spreading right into her heart.

Their eyes met over their clasped hands, a small tug.

"Stay.", he muttered, eyes hopeful and desperate at the same time.

"Ok.", she answered just as quietly, taking a seat next to Steve.

Natasha was about to remove her hand, when she felt his fingers intertwine with hers. Natasha couldn't stop the smile, that blossomed on her face, even if she tried.

Shuri cleared her throat "If you're settled, Captain Rogers, we are ready to bring Sergeant Barnes out of the cyro."

"When will..." Steve interrupted.

"Tomorrow hopefully." Shuri shifted on the sofa, moving into a cross legged position and leaned back on her arms, watching the two avengers in front of her.

Natasha had squeezed Captain Rogers hand, her other was resting on his leg, her thumb moving forth and back, it was so subtle that Shuri needed to look twice in order to see the movement.

"We will take him out, and then essentially defrost Sergeant Barnes slowly" sensing that Steve was about to interrupt, Shuri continued quickly "it will take about a day, then he will go through some tests, to see if the triggers have been removed. If they have, amazing, we will move into recovery, if not we'll go back to the drawing board and come up with Plan B."

"Ok...ok..." Steve couldn't believe it he was getting Bucky back, tomorrow, he'll have his friend back.

"Princess, what when Plan A and Plan B don't work?" Natasha worried her bottom lip with her teeth.

"Our alphabet has 64 letters, Natasha, I'm sure one of them will save your white boy."

Jumping off the sofa, Shuri moved to the door "Captain Rogers, I will call you once it's ok for you to come down tomorrow."

Steve's head snapped up "I want to be there."

"I cannot use your pacing in my lab while I'm defrosting your best friend. I will have you removed and you won't like my consequences."

The door closed behind the Princess, a moment passed before it opened again and Shuri stuck her head in grinning at the two still sitting on the sofa holding hands. "I'm sure you can find someone else to occupy your time." With a wink she closed the door again narrowly escaping the pillow Natasha had thrown.

Taking a deep breath she turned towards Steve. He still stared at the space shuri had vacated.

"Steve?"

No response.

"Are you ok?"

A soft squeeze of her hand.

"I...I can't believe I'm getting him back." He shook his head.

"Yeah you're getting him back." Natasha smiled, that was always he ever wanted, even in the beginning fresh out of the ice. He always spoke about Bucky. Later, after they found out he was still alive, it became his driving force.

What happens now, that he got what he wanted for so long?

—xx—xx—

Inhale - stroke - stroke - exhale - stroke - stroke

Inhale - stroke - stroke - exhale - stroke - stroke

Inhale - stroke - stroke - exhale - stroke - stroke

Cutting the water in quick strokes, Sarah completed her 50th lap of the morning.

Removing her swimming goggles, she leaned her head against the rim of the pool. Breathing harshly, she stopped the time on her watch, a new PB - who would have thought.

Music was still playing in her ears and the water sloshed lazily against the stones.

She enjoyed the tranquility of the pool, the nothingness once her head submerges underneath the water.

It was the only place she could be alone, truly alone these days.

Pushing back, Sarah let herself float for a minute, the water moving comfortably around her. She closed her eyes, trying to relax for a moment.

Her nerves were frayed since she returned from Berlin, the constant observation, the never ending worrying about Natasha, Steve and James.

Only the pool felt safe, the water had a way of relaxing her like nothing else.

Sarah stepped out of the pool, her slightly wet hair hid under a dark grey woolly beanie.

She could practically feel the agent peeling off the building and following her.

Trying hard not to turn around she headed for the tube. She just wanted to get home, sit in front of the tv, be alone.

The constant shadow in her life was getting to her, she was wary of everyone and had not been that jumpy even after Natasha got her home years ago.

Putting her headphones in helped, it created a barrier, the music blasted loud in her ear she could practically see her Mum shaking her head in disapproval.

In the beginning Sarah had tried to lose her shadow, took different routes to work, switched between modes of transport, walking, tube, bus, cycling. She even splurged on a week of taking black cabs everywhere she went. It accomplished nothing, only her eating beans on toast for a week after she literally bankrupted herself.

The shadows were still there.

—xx—xx—

Her interview with the CIA had not only the shadows as a consequence but also her permanent reassignment out of the ERU.

In the beginning it felt like a punishment, but after a while she realised if she wanted to help Nat and the rest, being part of the political liaisons office was the best.

She really needed to send Chris a nice a bottle of wine as a thank you.

She restyled the brief twice already and sincerely hoped it would not rejected by legal this time.

Her phone chimes with a text:

'In town this week. You free tonight at 7? B'

Sarah played with the phone in her hand...she was torn...ah what the heck...it's been a while:

'Yours or mine?'

'I'm staying at the Montcalm.'

'Yours it is then.'

—xx—xx—


End file.
